Starliner, Boeing’s space capsule, will try again in the middle of this month to reach the International Space Station (ISS), confirmed this Tuesday (3) by NASA and the American aeronautical group, which accumulates setbacks in this program. competitor of the private company SpaceX.
This crucial unmanned test should provide NASA, the US space agency, with a second mode of transport to get its astronauts to the ISS.
Takeoff from the US state of Florida is scheduled for May 19. In case of impediments that day, for example, due to bad weather, there is the possibility of launching the next day.
This test flight had already been attempted in 2019, but came close to disaster due to a software issue with the equipment. The capsule had to return to Earth prematurely, unable to reach the space station.
The test would be repeated in August 2021, but had to be canceled at the last minute because of a problem with the valves, which remained closed during final checks on the launch pad.
Boeing determined that this malfunction was due to a moisture problem which, when interacting with the oxidant present in the system, formed nitric acid, which contributed to the blockage of the valves.
“These eight months were difficult,” acknowledged Steve Stich, head of NASA’s manned commercial program, at a news conference on Tuesday. “We’ve solved the problem (…) and we’re heading for takeoff,” he said, however, with satisfaction.
The test flight needs to prove the capsule is safe. Boeing is still considering a final test later in the year, this time with a crew, said Mark Nappi, vice president and space program manager.
