Boeing's first mission carrying astronauts to space aboard its Starliner capsule has been delayed until at least the summer, a NASA official said on Thursday, as people familiar with the matter said last-minute tests and technical debates nixed a plan for an April launch.
Previously planned for late April, the Starliner mission is now slated to launch after a private astronaut mission scheduled for May "as teams assess readiness and complete verification work" for the spacecraft, NASA's space operations chief Kathy Lueders said on Twitter. She did not provide further details about reasons for the delay.
A successful 10-day test mission with Starliner docked to the space station, an orbital research lab some 250 miles high in Earth's orbit, would mark a crucial milestone. Boeing has struggled to compete with Elon Musk's SpaceX in the nascent market for private astronaut flights. In a recent pre-flight technical meeting with Boeing and NASA officials, the space station's chief safety officer and representatives from NASA's astronaut office disagreed with Boeing's plans to proceed with the mission citing concerns over the batteries, according to a person who attended the meetings.
Boeing in a statement said on Wednesday it has had no issues with Starliner's batteries during tests. The Starliner battery concerns and expected upgrades, which had not been previously reported, would add to a growing to-do list of tests and redesigns Boeing has faced before it embarks on the long-awaited operational phase of its NASA contract: six astronaut missions over the next few years.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Here are Thursday's biggest analyst calls: Tesla, First Republic, Coinbase, Boeing, Pinterest & moreHere are Thursday's biggest calls on Wall Street.
Read more »
Murdaugh family items, hideous furniture to be auctioned off ThursdayThe auction will take place in Pembroke, Georgia on Thursday.
Read more »
Muslim authorities say Ramadan fasting to begin ThursdayDUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Muslim authorities in Saudi Arabia and several other Middle Eastern countries say this year's fasting month of Ramadan will begin Thursday based on the expected sighting of the crescent moon.
Read more »
Virgin Orbit returning 'small' team from unpaid pause on Thursday to prep for next rocket launchVirgin Orbit is returning a 'small team' to work on Thursday, as the company aims to prepare for its next rocket launch even as its future remains in doubt.
Read more »
Thursday: Free workshop to help seniors apply for reduced internet costsThe City of Tempe is holding a free workshop on Thursday to help residents apply for free or reduced internet costs through the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). MORE ⬇️
Read more »
Virgin Orbit raising $200 million from investor Matthew Brown, closing deal as soon as ThursdayVirgin Orbit and Brown began deal talks last week, around the same time the company announced it was pausing operations and furloughing most employees.
Read more »