NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are poised to make history as they go on the first crewed flight of the Boeing-made Starliner spacecraft, a mission that has been years in the making. The duo is set to blast off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, carrying the Starliner capsule to the International Space Station (ISS). The launch is scheduled for 10:34 p.m. ET tonight.
In the hours leading up to the launch, Wilmore and Williams had a brief moment to wave goodbye to family and friends before climbing aboard NASA’s Astrovan, a specially designed vehicle that transported them to the Atlas V rocket on the launchpad. The trip was accompanied by the faint sound of Top Gun: Maverick playing on a nearby TV, adding a touch of levity to the moment.
As the Astrovan arrived at the launchpad, Wilmore and Williams exited the vehicle and walked the short distance to the launchpad, where they were finally set to board the Starliner capsule. At the time of writing, the two astronauts were settling into their new domain, ready to go on a journey that will take them to orbit and back.
The first crewed Starliner flight has been a long and arduous journey. The capsule took its maiden test flight in December 2019, but unfortunately, it failed to reach the proper orbit, surfacing a slew of technical issues that needed to be addressed. After a series of test flights, the Starliner was eventually deemed ready to carry a crew, and the historic flight is now just hours away from taking place.
Astronauts Face Milestones as Starliner Readies for Crewed Space Trip
During their time on board the ISS, Wilmore and Williams will thoroughly test all the Starliner’s systems, conducting a series of experiments and checks to ensure the vehicle is ready for future crewed missions. After a week aboard the space station, they will make the return journey to Earth, landing safely back on our planet via parachute for a second time.
The success of this mission will be a significant milestone for Boeing and NASA, paving the way for the Starliner to become a regular fixture in crewed missions to the ISS. If all goes according to plan, the Starliner will begin carrying crews to and from the space station, joining SpaceX’s Crew Dragon as a reliable means of transporting astronauts to and from our nation’s orbiting laboratory.
The Starliner’s crewed test flight is not only a major achievement for NASA and Boeing but also a testament to the hard work and dedication of the teams involved in developing and testing the spacecraft. As Wilmore and Williams go on their historic journey, they are not only pioneers in the field of space exploration but also ambassadors for the entire aerospace industry, demonstrating the capabilities and potential of human spaceflight.
