NASA and Boeing are gearing up for a monumental mission to the International Space Station (ISS) with the Starliner spacecraft and Atlas V rocket. This mission, known as NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test, is the final trial run for Starliner, evaluating various aspects of the transportation system, including the launch pad, rocket, spacecraft, in-orbit operational capabilities, and the safe return of astronauts to Earth.
Starliner Spacecraft and Crew
The Starliner spacecraft, propelled by ULA’s Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, will carry two NASA astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, for approximately a week-long stay at the space station. Wilmore, a veteran of two spaceflights with a total of 178 days in space, will command the mission, while Williams, who has spent 322 days in space across two missions, will serve as the pilot.
Mission Objectives and Significance
The mission will test all major systems with astronauts on board, following two uncrewed flights by Starliner: a 2019 flight that did not reach the ISS as planned, and a 2022 attempt that reached the ISS and met all other major flight objectives. The upcoming Crew Flight Test (CFT) mission aims to serve as a major checkout of all systems to certify Starliner for longer missions, six months or more, for standard ISS crew changeouts.