Canceling the launch of the first manned flight into space for Boeing

The launch of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft was canceled today, Saturday, less than four minutes before launch time due to a technical problem that was not immediately clear, according to what commentators announced during the live broadcast by the US Space Agency (NASA).
This is the second time within a month that the launch of this mission, which would allow the Starliner to transport NASA astronauts to the International Space Station for the first time, has been postponed.
The vehicle was scheduled to take off today, Saturday, at 12:25 from Cape Canaveral in the US state of Florida (16:25 GMT).
On Saturday morning, Starliner crew members Butch Wilmore and Sonny Williams, veteran NASA astronauts, took their positions in the Starliner capsule.
Ten years ago, NASA requested two new vehicles from the American companies “Boeing” and “SpaceX” to transport its astronauts to the International Space Station.
While SpaceX has been playing the role of carrier into space for four years, Boeing has faced a series of setbacks that have led to years of delay.
After the American company recently suffered safety-related problems in its civilian aircraft, it was betting on its reputation on this test mission that was supposed to prove that its vehicle was safe, before starting its regular missions to the International Space Station.
This mission carries great importance for NASA as well, as the availability of a second vehicle would have allowed it to better manage any emergency situations that may occur.
– “Small leak”
Early last month, the launch of the Starliner was canceled at the last minute, while the two astronauts were in their launch position inside the vehicle, due to a problem with the rocket valve, which was later repaired.
A limited leak of helium was then detected in the vehicle. But Boeing and NASA decided not to fix this malfunction because that would require separating the Starliner from the launch pad.
“We believe we can manage this leak by monitoring it before takeoff, and even if it increases during the flight,” Steve Stitch, head of NASA’s commercial manned spaceflight program, said on Friday.
Today’s setback is the latest in a series of unpleasant surprises that Boeing has faced.
In 2019, during the first unmanned test, the capsule did not take its correct course and returned to Earth without reaching the International Space Station.
In 2021, when the missile was on the launch pad, malfunctions occurred that prevented the capsule’s valves from working, causing another postponement of the mission.
The vehicle finally succeeded in arriving empty to the International Space Station in May 2022.
Other problems were later observed, especially with the parachutes that slowed down the capsule during its return to the atmosphere, which once again caused the postponement of the first manned flight.
Butch Wilmore (61 years old) and Sonny Williams (58 years old) previously visited the space station twice, by space shuttle and then by a Russian Soyuz spacecraft.