A The takeoff attempt may take place “no earlier than 6:16 pm on Friday, May 17” to allow repairs to be carried out, according to a statement from the US space agency released on Tuesday.
On Monday, Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft was due to take off, for the first time with astronauts on board, bound for the International Space Station, thus joining other manned spacecraft.
About two hours before the scheduled launch time and just as the two North American astronauts were settling into the capsule, the takeoff was cancelled: a malfunction was identified in a valve on the Atlas V rocket, which is expected to place the Starliner into orbit. .
The two astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, will remain isolated in the meantime, NASA said.
Boeing is counting on this last test mission, which should allow it to demonstrate that the space vehicle is safe before starting regular missions to the International Space Station, four years behind Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
For NASA, which ordered this vehicle 10 years ago, the stakes are also big: having a second vehicle, in addition to SpaceX’s, to transport astronauts should facilitate the response in “different scenarios”, such as in cases of emergency or problem. with one of the devices.
Read Also: Launch of Boeing’s Starliner rocket postponed
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