Final-minute pc hassle nixed Saturday’s launch try for Boeing’s first astronaut flight, the most recent in a string of delays through the years.
Two NASA astronauts had 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 drawback and the launch was referred to as off.
Technicians raced to the pad to assist astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams out of the capsule atop the totally fueled Atlas V rocket at Cape Canaveral Area Power Station. Inside an hour of the launch abort, the hatch was reopened.
The workforce cannot get to the computer systems to troubleshoot the issue till the rocket is drained of all its gas, stated Tory Bruno, CEO for the rocket maker, United Launch Alliance.
Bruno stated one of many three redundant computer systems situated close to the rocket on the pad was sluggish. All three should work correctly to proceed with a launch, he stated.
Relying on what must be mounted, the following launch try might be as early as Wednesday. If it does not blast off this coming week, then that will be it till mid-June with the intention to transfer the rocket off the pad and substitute batteries.
“That is the enterprise that we’re in,” Boeing’s Mark Nappi stated. “Every little thing’s started working completely.”
It was the second launch try. The primary strive 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 similar time as SpaceX, however its first take a look at flight with nobody on board in 2019 was affected by extreme software program points and by no means made it to the space station.
A redo in 2022 fared higher, however parachute issues and flammable later brought on extra delays. A small helium leak within the capsule’s propulsion system final month got here on high of a rocket valve concern.
Extra valve hassle cropped up two hours earlier than Saturday’s deliberate liftoff, however the workforce used a backup circuit to get the ground-equipment valves working to high off the gas for the rocket’s higher stage. Launch controllers had been relieved to maintain pushing forward, however the pc system often known as the bottom launch sequencer ended the trouble.
“In fact, that is emotionally disappointing,” NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, the backup pilot, stated from neighboring Kennedy Area Heart shortly after the countdown was halted.
However he stated delays are a part of spaceflight. “We will have an awesome launch in our future.”
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Boeing’s first astronaut flight referred to as off on the final minute in newest setback (2024, June 2)
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