Boeing and NASA are proceeding with the launch of Boeing’s Starliner capsule, despite a “stable” leak detected in the spacecraft’s propulsion system.
Mark Nappi, Boeing’s vice president and manager of the Commercial Crew program, expressed confidence in the identified causes of the leak during a press briefing on Friday, stating, “We are confident in our ability to manage this issue, so it does not pose a safety concern for the flight.”
The scheduled launch for the first crewed mission of the Starliner capsule is now set for June 1, with backup opportunities on June 2, June 5, and June 6. This mission, known as the Starliner Crew Flight Test, aims to complete the final major development test of the capsule by transporting NASA astronauts to and from the International Space Station before commencing regular missions.
Despite delays, including SpaceX’s Dragon capsule regularly ferrying astronauts for NASA since 2020, Boeing has persevered through setbacks, incurring significant costs.
A previous launch attempt on May 6 was called off due to an issue with the Atlas V rocket, operated by United Launch Alliance, a Boeing-Lockheed Martin joint venture. Following the postponement, a small helium leak was discovered in the Starliner, prompting Boeing and NASA to conduct further assessments of the capsule’s safety for the upcoming mission.
NASA Associate Administrator Ken Bowersox addressed the helium leak issue during Friday’s press briefing, indicating that it took time to fully evaluate the situation before discussing it publicly.