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NASA, Boeing say Starliner is likely to launch on May 19


Officials say Boeing’s Starliner is finally ready to complete a major test launch to the International Space Station on May 19. The unmanned flight, dubbed OFT-2, is an important step towards certifying the spacecraft has finally carried passengers, making NASA the second taxi provider alongside SpaceX.

Aerospace giant Boeing, awarded a $4.2 billion contract for this purpose in 2014, initially tested it in 2019, but failed to reach the ISS after a software glitch cause abnormal flight.

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The show has since experienced a number of delays. It was supposed to last fly in August 2021, but the mission was aborted just hours before launch because high humidity led to corrosion in the Starliner’s valves.

“It’s been a tough eight months, but it’s very gratifying that we’ve worked it out,” Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, said on a call with reporters.

NASA is targeting 6:54 p.m. (2254 GMT) for takeoff from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

If OFT-2 is successful, Boeing will have to complete another crew test before it is officially certified, and the company aims to do so by the end of 2022, Boeing’s Mark Nappi said. know.

Meanwhile, Elon Musk’s SpaceX has carried more than 20 people to the ISS aboard Crew Dragon since its first crewed flight in 2020.





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