Current:Home > BackBoeing finds new problems with Starliner space capsule and delays first crewed launch-LoTradeCoin
Boeing finds new problems with Starliner space capsule and delays first crewed launch
View Date:2025-01-14 23:39:59
Boeing has indefinitely delayed next month's launch of its Starliner capsule — which would have carried the first humans — after engineers found several worrying problems.
These included the use of "hundreds of feet" of adhesive tape that's flammable and defects with the spacecraft's parachute system. Boeing made the announcement late Thursday at a hastily-called news conference with NASA officials.
It's the latest setback for Boeing which has been plagued by years of development delays and has yet to fly its first crewed Starliner mission.
After the space shuttle was retired in 2011, NASA needed a way to ferry people to and from the International Space Station. In 2014, NASA awarded Boeing more than $4 billion under its Commercial Crew program to build the capsule. At the same time, NASA also selected SpaceX to build and design a competing system which has already sent humans into space ten times (including seven missions for NASA).
Starliner has flown twice. The first mission, in 2019, failed to reach the I.S.S. after its on-board clock malfunctioned. The second test flight, in 2022, did dock with the I.S.S. and was deemed a success. Boeing had been working towards a July 21 launch to send two NASA astronauts to the I.S.S. This mission has been delayed several times and this latest setback is concerning.
Just weeks before the launch attempt, Boeing managers determined that adhesive tape used to wrap and protect hundreds of yards of wiring inside the capsule could be flammable under certain circumstances.
In addition, the lines connecting the capsule to its trio of parachutes were not as strong as Boeing believed. During landing, it's possible that some of the lines could have snapped - potentially endangering the crew. Starliner is designed to land with just two parachutes. But if one parachute failed - the others could have too.
For all of these reasons, Boeing vice president and Starliner program manager Mark Nappi told reporters the company was standing down, "Safety is always our top priority and that drives this decision." A future test flight date is unknown.
Nappi says they'll take the next several weeks to investigate the design issues and come up with potential solutions. For now, Boeing says it's fully committed to the program and has no plans to stop developing Starliner despite being years behind schedule.
veryGood! (4)
Related
- How Kim Kardashian Navigates “Uncomfortable” Situations With Her 4 Kids
- Georgia’s governor says more clean energy will be needed to fuel electric vehicle manufacturing
- Israeli strike kills 16 in southern Gaza; no word on whether medicines reached hostages
- Russia’s foreign minister rejects a US proposal to resume talks on nuclear arms control
- ‘Maybe Happy Ending’ review: Darren Criss shines in one of the best musicals in years
- 9/11 victim’s remains identified nearly 23 years later as Long Island man
- Nikki Haley turns to unlikely duo — Gov. Chris Sununu and Don Bolduc — to help her beat Trump in New Hampshire
- 5 people injured in series of 'unprovoked' stabbings in NYC; man arrested, reports say
- Footage shows Oklahoma officer throwing 70-year-old to the ground after traffic ticket
- Missouri abortion-rights campaign backs proposal to enshrine access but allow late-term restrictions
Ranking
- The results are in: Peanut the Squirrel did not have rabies, county official says
- Texas coach Rodney Terry calls UCF players 'classless' for doing 'Horns Down' gesture
- Galaxy S24, AI launch event: How to watch Samsung's 'Galaxy Unpacked 2024'
- Jordan Henderson set to move to Dutch club Ajax in blow to Saudi soccer league
- Denzel Washington Will Star in Black Panther 3 Before Retirement
- Think you can stay off your phone? One company will pay you $10,000 to do a digital detox
- Illustrated edition of first ‘Hunger Games’ novel to come out Oct. 1
- Kate Beckinsale Slams BAFTA's Horribly Cold Snub of Late Stepfather
Recommendation
-
MVSU football player killed, driver injured in crash after police chase
-
Green Day, Jimmy Fallon team up for surprise acoustic set in NYC subway: Video
-
Social media influencers may seem to live charmed lives. But then comes tax time.
-
After 604 days, Uvalde families finally have DOJ's long-awaited school shooting report
-
Craig Melvin replacing Hoda Kotb as 'Today' show co-anchor with Savannah Guthrie
-
Mariska Hargitay, Ice-T and More Reflect on Richard Belzer’s Legacy Nearly One Year After His Death
-
US forces strike Houthi sites in Yemen as Biden says allied action hasn’t yet stopped ship attacks
-
A Minnesota boy learned his bus driver had cancer. Then he raised $1,000 to help her.