From left to right, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams pose for a picture after a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft aboard rolled out of the Vertical Integration Facility to the launch pad at Space Launch Complex-41 ahead of the NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test, Saturday, May 4, 2024 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Photo Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky
Weather is looking promising for NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test to send two of the agency’s astronauts to the International Space Station. Launch weather officers with the U.S. Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron predict a 95% chance of favorable weather conditions at the launch pad for a liftoff, scheduled for 10:34 p.m. EDT.
Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, carrying NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, commander, and Suni Williams, pilot, on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket will launch from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
The Starliner spacecraft, named Calypso, can fly autonomously or be steered manually and is expected to rendezvous and dock with the space station on Wednesday, May 8. Wilmore and Williams will spend about a week at the orbiting laboratory before the crew capsule makes a parachute and airbag-assisted landing in the southwestern United States.
Once the flight test is complete, NASA will begin the final process of certifying Starliner and its systems for crewed rotation missions to the space station as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program.
NASA’s mission coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms including social media.
From left to right, NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore pose in front of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft in the early morning of Tuesday, April 16, 2024, outside the company’s Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The spacecraft will take the astronauts to the International Space Station as part of the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test no earlier than Monday, May 6, 2024. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will be the first to fly aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft to the International Space Station, and the name of the spacecraft ferrying them to the orbiting laboratory holds a special place in Williams’ heart.
Williams named the crew capsule Calypso in 2019 to pay tribute to the explorer Jacques Cousteau, who sailed across the world on his own ship named bearing the same name. Cousteau’s goal was to learn about the ocean and teach others about the wonders of the sea. Williams believes Starliner can do the same for space.
The Starliner spacecraft, with a diameter of 15 feet (4.56 meters), can carry up to four astronauts, or a mix of crew and cargo, for NASA missions to low Earth orbit for the agency’s Commercial Crew Program.
The spacecraft, on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, is scheduled for liftoff at 10:34 p.m. EDT Monday, May 6, from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft atop the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is seen on the launch pad of Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Saturday, May 4, 2024, ahead of NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test. Liftoff is scheduled for 10:34 p.m. ET Monday, May 6. Photo credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky
NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test mission to send two of the agency’s astronauts to the International Space Station is in the final stages of prelaunch operations.
Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, stacked on a ULA (United Launch Alliance) Atlas V rocket, rolled from ULA’s Vertical Integration Facility to the launch pad at Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on May 4, in preparation for launch.
Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft atop the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is seen on the launch pad of Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Saturday, May 4, 2024, ahead of NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test.
The 45th Weather Squadron predicts a 95% chance of favorable weather conditions for launch, with the cumulus cloud rule being the primary weather concern.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are the first to launch aboard Starliner to the International Space Station as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program. Liftoff is scheduled for 10:34 p.m. EDT Monday, May 6. The astronauts will spend about a week at the orbiting laboratory before returning to Earth and making a parachute and airbag-assisted landing in the southwestern United States.
After successful completion of the mission, NASA will begin the final process of certifying Starliner and its systems for crewed rotation missions to the space station. The Starliner capsule, with a diameter of 15 feet (4.56m) and the capability to steer automatically or manually, will carry four astronauts, or a mix of crew and cargo, for NASA missions to low Earth orbit.
NASA will provide live coverage of the launch, beginning at 6:30 p.m. on May 6, on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms including social media.
Officials from NASA, Boeing, ULA (United Launch Alliance) , and the U.S. Space Force 45th Weather Squadron participate in a prelaunch briefing for NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Friday, May 3, 2024. Photo credit: NASA
NASA, Boeing, and ULA (United Launch Alliance) officials discussed final prelaunch details to send two astronauts aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft to the International Space Station as the first crewed flight for Starliner. The prelaunch news conference finished at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
“We are going to have a whole new adventure. This is very much a part of our exploration of space and what I call the ‘golden age of space exploration,’” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “It’s a historical day. It’s a wonderful day.”
Officials provided updates to the countdown of the 10:34 p.m. EDT Monday, May 6, launch of NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, commander, and Suni Williams, pilot, on the Starliner spacecraft as part of NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test mission. The crew is set to dock at the space station on Wednesday, May 8,for about a week-long stay before returning to Earth with a parachute and airbag-assisted landingin the southwestern United States.
“It’s exciting to bring Starliner and a United launch Alliance Atlas vehicle online,” said Steve Stich, manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. “We have been striving for commercial crew to have two independent space transportation systems. That’s been our goal from commercial crew since its inception, and we’re very close to reaching that goal with the launch on Monday.”
Brian Cizek, launch weather officer with the 45th Weather Squadron, predicts a 95% chance of favorable weather conditions for launch, with the cumulus cloud rule being the primary weather concern.
“I couldn’t be more proud of this team. We’re at peak performance right now and we are really excited to execute this launch. We’re ready to go,” said Mark Nappi, vice president and program manager, Commercial Crew Program, Boeing.
At 3:30 p.m., NASA will host a social media briefing with the following participants:
NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free
Ian Kappes, deputy launch vehicle office manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program
Amy Comeau Denker, Starliner associate chief engineer, Boeing
Caleb Weiss, system engineering and test leader, ULA
Jennifer Buchli, chief scientist, NASA’s International Space Station Program
NASA will provide coverage of the social media briefing on Kennedy’s Facebook, X, and YouTube accounts.
On Saturday, May 4, the ULA Atlas V rocket and Starliner spacecraft will roll out to the pad at Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Launch is scheduled for 10:34 p.m. Monday, May 6.
Here is a list of other upcoming events leading up to the mission.
The Boeing Starliner spacecraft is lifted at the Vertical Integration Facility at Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Tuesday, April 16, 2024. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
Plans to send two NASA astronauts aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft on a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket early next week remain on track.
ULA completed its Launch Readiness Review on May 3 and gave a “go” to proceed toward launch at 10:34 p.m. EDT Monday, May 6, from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Teams at ULA assessed the readiness of the rocket, discussed the pre-flight work, reviewed launch day operations, and previewed the early weather forecast.
NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test will launch NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams on Starliner for about a week-long mission to the International Space Station, culminating with a parachute landing in the southwestern United States.
At 12:30 p.m., NASA will host its prelaunch news conference with the following participants:
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson
Steve Stich, manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program
Dana Weigel, manager, NASA’s International Space Station Program
Jennifer Buchli, chief scientist, NASA’s International Space Station Program
Mark Nappi, vice president and program manager, Commercial Crew Program, Boeing
Gary Wentz, vice president, Government and Commercial Programs, ULA
Brian Cizek, launch weather officer, 45th Weather Squadron, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
The prelaunch news conference air live onNASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms including social media.
Here is a list of other upcoming events leading up to the mission.
The SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft is pictured after backing away from the space station beginning its relocation maneuver. Photo credit: NASA TV
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 crew members aboard the International Space Station relocated the Dragon spacecraft on May 2, to make room for Boeing Starliner’s upcoming visit.
NASA astronauts Michael Barratt, Matthew Dominick, and Jeannette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, undocked the Dragon spacecraft, named Endeavour, from the forward-facing port of the station’s Harmony module to the zenith port, freeing up the forward port for Starliner to autonomously dock to during NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test.
Watch the NASA replay of the relocation activities here.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, commander, and Suni Williams, pilot, will be the first to launch on Boeing’s Starliner on a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Liftoff is targeted for 10:34 p.m. EDT, Monday, May 6, and the crew is set to dock at the space station on Wednesday, May 8.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams participate in a virtual media engagement event from inside the Astronaut Crew Quarters in the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Facility at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, May 1, 2024. Photo credit: NASA
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams held a virtual question and answer session with media on May 1, from inside the Astronaut Crew Quarters at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of their launch to the space station.
“We’ve been through training and we have our fingerprints on every single procedure that exists for this spacecraft,” said Wilmore.“We’re fully trained in all aspects of Starliner.”
Wilmore and Williams have quarantined inside the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building since they arrived at the Florida spaceport April 25.
The Operations and Checkout Building dates back to the Apollo program and was used for missions under the Space Shuttle Program. Located on the third floor, the crew quarters consists of 23 bedrooms, each with its own bathroom. The area also includes the suitup room, where teams help astronauts into their spacesuits before they exit the building and enter a vehicle to take them to the launch pad.
Wilmore and Williams will be the first to fly aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, launching on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket to the International Space Station. The astronauts will spend about a week at the orbiting laboratory before the crew capsule makes a parachute and airbag-assisted landing in the southwestern United States.
“We feel very safe and very comfortable when this spacecraft flies,” said Williams. “This is where we’re supposed to be.”
After successful completion of the mission, NASA will begin the final process of certifying Starliner and its systems for crewed rotation missions to the space station. The Starliner capsule, with a diameter of 15 feet (4.56m) and the capability to steer automatically or manually, will carry four astronauts, or a mix of crew and cargo, for NASA missions to low Earth orbit.
Launch is scheduled for 10:34 p.m. EDT Monday, May 6, from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Watch a replay of the question and answer session here.
