Boeing Starliner

Helium leaks, failing thrusters, and a faulty valve component are extending NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams’ stay on the International Space Station.

Starliner’s crew flight test (CFT) is the first time the capsule has carried humans and is intended to be its final mission before NASA moves to certify it for service.

The semireusable space capsule has a new launch target after yet another issue postponed its first crewed flight to Wednesday at the earliest.

Starliner crews are contending with what NASA describes as a ‘design vulnerability’ that could prevent the spacecraft from performing a deorbit burn.

The postponement marks the fifth delay to the long-awaited mission, which would be the first time humans have flown on Starliner.

The spacecraft’s inaugural crewed flight test will now occur no earlier than 4:43 p.m. EDT on Tuesday after teams discover a new issue.

A former contractor of Boeing valve supplier Aerojet Rocketdyne is urging the space agency to “redouble” safety checks before attempting another launch.

The space agency and manufacturer are now targeting a launch no earlier than 6:16 p.m. EDT on Friday, May 17.

NASA intends to deploy the reusable capsule for crew rotation missions to the International Space Station, but the program has been marred by delays.

The spacecraft’s return marks SpaceX’s 30th commercial resupply to the International Space Station.