Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams was poised for her third journey into space when NASA and Boeing unexpectedly postponed the launch mere hours before liftoff. The inaugural human spaceflight of Starliner, known as the Crew Flight Test, was called off due to a malfunctioning oxygen relief valve on the second stage of the Atlas V rocket, operated by the United Launch Alliance.
Following the detection of the issue, astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams disembarked from the Starliner spacecraft and returned to the astronaut crew quarters. The launch was scrubbed as NASA evaluated an oxygen relief valve problem on the Centaur Stage of the Atlas V rocket.
The United Launch Alliance, responsible for manufacturing the rocket, stated that the decision was made due to observing a liquid oxygen self-regulating solenoid relief valve on the Centaur upper stage. ULA added that the postponement was necessary to conduct a comprehensive assessment.
This cautious approach is due to ULA’s first-time launch of astronauts using their rocket. While ULA has achieved a flawless track record with cargo and payload launches, launching humans is an entirely new endeavor for them.
The delay will allow the teams ample time to analyze data on a pressure regulation valve on the liquid oxygen tank of the Atlas V rocket’s Centaur upper stage and determine if valve replacement is necessary.Nasa has announced that the Boeing Starliner, carrying the two astronauts, will make another launch attempt atop the ULA rocket on May 10.
The United States eagerly seeks to certify a second spacecraft capable of launching and returning humans to and from space, with SpaceX’s Crew Dragon leading the commercial space race. The Starliner spacecraft, named Calypso, can fly autonomously or be manually controlled and is expected to rendezvous and dock with the space station on Wednesday.
