New Delhi : Will Indian-American NASA astronaut Sunita Williams finally take flight into space this evening?
After experiencing a series of technical setbacks, the launch had to be aborted twice just moments before liftoff, leaving Ms. Williams and her colleague Butch Wilmore inside Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. The US space agency is now diligently working to ensure a safe flight despite the challenges.
Preparations are now in full swing for the launch of the Starliner Crew’s test flight to the International Space Station, according to NASA. Both Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft and United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) Atlas V rocket are back at the launch pad at the Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
The last launch attempt scheduled for June 1, 2024, was halted less than four minutes before liftoff due to a technical issue detected by one of the ground computers. The ULA has since replaced the faulty computer parts that caused the delay.
An earlier attempt on May 7, 2024, was postponed hours before liftoff due to a technical glitch involving a valve. “Boeing, United Launch Alliance, and NASA scrubbed the previous launch opportunity on May 7 (India time) due to a suspect oxygen relief valve on the Atlas V rocket’s Centaur second stage. Since then, teams have removed and replaced the valve, and completed an assessment of the Starliner’s performance and redundancy after discovering a small helium leak in the spacecraft’s service module,” NASA said in a statement.
With two launch attempts called off, the Starliner faces significant delays and budget overruns. Some speculate that the issues impacting Boeing’s aviation business may also be affecting its space endeavors.
In 2014, NASA awarded Boeing a $4.2 billion contract to build a spacecraft from scratch. However, ten years later, there hasn’t been a single successful human space flight. In contrast, SpaceX, awarded a similar contract for the development of Crew Dragon, delivered at an estimated cost of $2.6 billion and is already ferrying astronauts to the ISS on its crew module.
Ms. Williams, a symbol of inspiration for women aspiring to venture into space, is poised to embark on her third space journey aboard the brand-new spacecraft. This mission could mark her as the first woman to fly on a maiden crewed mission on a new space shuttle.
Ms. Williams’s first space voyage took place from December 9, 2006, to June 22, 2007, during which she set a record for women with four spacewalks totaling 29 hours and 17 minutes.
Ahead of her third space journey, the 59-year-old admitted to feeling a bit nervous but maintained confidence in flying the new spacecraft that she helped design, collaborating with engineers from NASA and Boeing.
“When I reach the International Space Station, it will be like going back home,” she expressed.
On her previous flights, Ms. Williams brought along her “lucky charm” – an idol of Lord Ganesh, and a copy of the Bhagwad Gita. Whether she will carry them to space this time remains unknown.
