Cape Canaveral, Florida – Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft moves one step closer to its historic launch as it completes a slow roll at 1 mph out of the launch complex on Saturday. The spacecraft, standing 172 feet tall atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V, is now locked into place for its upcoming launch on Monday at Space Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Launch managers gave the green light to proceed on Friday, and over the weekend, launch teams and astronauts have been busy preparing for the crewed test mission set to launch Monday night at 10:34. Jim McMichael from NASA’s Commercial Crew Program expressed the challenge associated with launching a new vehicle with humans for the first time, emphasizing the success of the Atlas V system in the past.
Following the roll into place, the crew access arm has been positioned for the arrival of NASA test astronauts Commander Butch Willmore and Suni Williams on Monday. The duo will spend about eight days at the International Space Station, focusing much of their time on testing the capabilities of the new Starliner spacecraft.
Unlike the SpaceX Crew Dragon, which splashes down at sea, the Starliner will touch down in the desert. McMichael explained that the Boeing system includes airbags to cushion the landing impact on land, enhancing safety measures for the crew. This mission marks the first-ever Atlas V rocket carrying humans and NASA’s Commercial Crew program’s initial launch from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
The delayed Starliner will eventually join SpaceX’s Crew Dragon on rotations to the ISS and will serve as a critical backup for transporting astronauts to the space station from American soil once certified by NASA. The successful completion of this mission will be a significant milestone in the advancement of space exploration and commercial crew transportation.