CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A final-minute drawback nixed Saturday’s launch try for Boeing’s first astronaut flight, the most recent in a string of delays over time.
Two NASA astronauts have been strapped within the firm’s Starliner capsule when the countdown robotically was halted at 3 minutes and 50 seconds by the pc system that controls the ultimate minutes earlier than liftoff.
With solely a break up second to take off, there was no time to work the most recent hassle and every part was referred to as off. It was not instantly clear why the computer systems aborted the countdown.
Launch controllers have been evaluating the info, stated United Launch Alliance’s Dillon Rice. Nevertheless it’s attainable the crew might attempt once more as quickly as Sunday, relying on what went mistaken.
Technicians raced to the pad to assist astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams out of the capsule atop the absolutely fueled Atlas V rocket at Cape Canaveral Area Power Station. Inside an hour of the launch abort, the hatch was reopened.
It was the second launch try. The primary attempt on Might 6 was delayed for leak checks and rocket repairs.
NASA needs a backup to SpaceX, which has been flying astronauts since 2020.
Boeing ought to have launched its first crew across the identical time as SpaceX, however its first check flight with nobody on board in 2019 was affected by extreme software program points and by no means made it to the area station.
A redo in 2022 fared higher, however parachute issues and flammable later induced extra delays. A small helium leak within the capsule’s propulsion system final month got here on prime of a rocket valve concern.
Extra valve hassle cropped up two hours earlier than Saturday’s deliberate liftoff, however the crew used a backup circuit to get the ground-equipment valves working to prime off the gas for the rocket’s higher stage. Launch controllers have been relieved to maintain pushing forward, however the laptop system often called the bottom launch sequencer ended the trouble.
“After all, that is emotionally disappointing,” NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, the backup pilot, stated from neighboring Kennedy Area Heart.
However he stated delays are a part of spaceflight. “We will have an incredible launch in our future.”
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