A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying a Boeing Starliner spacecraft launches NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Wednesday , June 5 , 2024.NASA Television
The Boeing Starliner space vehicle has finally set up , admit off from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida today , June 5 . This is the third attempt at a launch for the ballistic capsule , which is sway two astronaut to the International Space Station ( ISS ) .
The spacecraft bring up off at 10:52 a.m. ET , carried by a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket . On circuit board the Starliner are NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams , who will make it at the ISS for docking Thursday . The launch can be viewed below :
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying a Boeing Starliner spacecraft launches NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Wednesday, June 5, 2024.NASA Television
“ Two sheer NASA astronauts are well on their way on this historical first trial run flight of steps of a stain - raw spacecraft , ” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson in astatement . “ Boeing ’s Starliner marks a new chapter of American geographic expedition . Human spacefaring is a venturous undertaking — but that ’s why it ’s worth doing . It ’s an exciting clip for NASA , our commercial partners , and the future of exploration . Go Starliner , Go Butch and Suni ! ”
This is the first crewed test flight of the Starliner , which has had a troubled exploitation full stop with retell trouble over the last five year . In the last month , there have beenseveral attemptsto make the launch , but there were problems , let in an issue with the Eruca vesicaria sativa and a He leak on the ballistic capsule , which forced the launch to be call off .
Now , however , the Starliner has launched as planned with a smooth liftoff , as see in this footage :
The astronauts will move around for around 24 hours , and should go far at the ISS at 12:15 p.m. ET on Thursday June 6 . This create Williams the first woman to be on plank a first crew trial run flight of a novel spacecraft .
“ With Starliner ’s launching , detachment from the rocket , and comer on orbit , Boeing ’s Crew Flight Test is right on lead , ” said Mark Nappi , frailty Chief Executive and plan manager of Boeing ’s Commercial Crew Program . “ Everyone is focused on giving Suni and Butch a good , comfortable ride and perform a successful test charge from scratch line to ending . ”
If docking expire as planned , NASA will now have two alternative for ferry spaceman between Earth and the ISS : the Starliner and SpaceX ’s Crew Dragon . If you ’d like to watch over the arrival of the Starliner at the ISS on Thursday , it will be live - streamed onNASA ’s YouTube channelwith coverage beginning at 9:30 a.m. ET .
