After two previous launch attempts were called off, the Boeing-built spacecraft lifted off with people on board for the first time. It was headed for the International Space Station.
After two trips to the launchpad that did not end up going to space, two NASA astronauts finally headed to orbit on Wednesday in a vehicle built by Boeing, the aerospace giant.
The 15-foot-wide capsule, Starliner, provides NASA with an additional option for flying crews to and from the International Space Station, more than a decade after the space shuttles were retired. The launch is the latest step in NASA’s efforts to rely more heavily on the private sector for its human spaceflight program.
Starliner’s first trip with astronauts on board comes four years and six days after SpaceX, the other company that NASA has hired to provide astronaut rides, launched its first mission with astronauts aboard. A series of costly delays repeatedly kept astronauts from flying on the Boeing vehicle, while SpaceX, once seen as an upstart, has since flown 13 crews to orbit.
At 10:52 a.m. Eastern time, the engines of an Atlas V rocket ignited, lifting the Starliner spacecraft on an arcing path to space. If the vehicle’s mission goes well, it would also provide some good news for Boeing, whose aviation safety record is under heavy scrutiny after a side panel of an Alaska Airlines jet blew out during a flight earlier this year.
Here’s what you need to know about the flight:
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The spacecraft lifted off atop an Atlas V rocket at 10:52 a.m. Eastern time on Wednesday from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
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The two crew members on board Starliner are Butch Wilmore, the commander, and Suni Williams, the pilot. They are experienced NASA astronauts; Mr. Wilmore has spent 167 days in space, and Ms. Williams 322. They will spend about a day in orbit before docking with the space station on Thursday at 12:15 p.m. They will stay for about a week, allowing for more tests of the spacecraft and its systems.
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The two astronauts were supposed to head to space on May 6. A problem, since repaired, with a valve on the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket that was to carry their Starliner capsule to orbit caused the flight to be called off after Mr. Wilmore and Ms. Williams were already on board.
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A second launch attempt on Saturday was called off less than four minutes before liftoff because of a problem with the computers that autonomously handle the final part of the launch sequence. Technicians have replaced a faulty power component.
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Wednesday’s countdown was flawless, proceeding without interruption for the on-time liftoff.
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Starliner is years behind schedule, as the work by Boeing and NASA to confirm that the spacecraft was safe to fly stretched far longer than expected. Technical pitfalls included inadequate software testing, corroded propellant valves, flammable tape, a key component in the parachute system that turned out to be weaker than designed, and most recently a helium leak in the spacecraft’s propulsion system. Boeing fixed and studied the problems, allowing Starliner to get back to the launchpad.
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The delays have left Boeing facing more than $1.4 billion in unexpected charges. The launch attempt comes during a tough 2024 for the aerospace giant. Just days into the year, a panel on the body of a Boeing 737 Max 9 blew off during an Alaska Airlines flight. The pilots safely landed the plane, and there were no major injuries, but the episode has had widespread repercussions for the company, particularly its aviation division.
