An issue with the relief valve on the upper stage of the Atlas rocket prompted the decision about two hours before the scheduled launch from Cape Canaveral.
NASA, Boeing and ULA are targeting another launch attempt no earlier than May 10 pending resolution of the technical issue that prevented Monday's launch of the Crew Flight Test. [Courtesy: NASA]
Key Takeaways:
The first crewed launch of Boeing's Starliner capsule was scrubbed due to a relief valve issue detected on the Atlas V rocket's upper stage about two hours before the scheduled liftoff.
Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were already strapped into the capsule when the launch was called off, with United Launch Alliance (ULA) prioritizing safety.
This incident adds to a series of delays and technical problems encountered by the Starliner program, though this particular issue was with the launch vehicle rather than the capsule itself.
Russ Niles is Editor-in-Chief of AVweb. He has been a pilot for 30 years and joined AVweb 22 years ago. He and his wife Marni live in southern British Columbia where they also operate a small winery.
