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Business News/ Science / News/  First crewed flight of Boeing Starliner postponed again, says NASA. Here's why

First crewed flight of Boeing Starliner postponed again, says NASA. Here's why

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Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams will be in Houston until the launch is ready.

(FILES) NASA's Vehicle Assembly building (L) and a screen showing Boeing, Crew Flight Test (CFT) and Starliner logos are seen after Boeing's Starliner spacecraft crew flight test was scrubbed on May 6, 2024 at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, after the mission was scrubbed because of an issue with a valve on the Atlas V rocket. The first crewed launch of Boeing's Starliner spaceship to the International Space Station has been postponed again due to a technical snafu, the company said on May 14, 2024. The next attempt will be May 21 at the earliest. (Photo by Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo / AFP)

NASA announced Friday that the first crewed launch of Boeing's Starliner to the International Space Station faces yet another delay due to a technical glitch.

Initially set for Tuesday in Florida, the launch is now rescheduled for May 25 to address a helium leak associated with the service module atop the rocket, AFP reported.

Just earlier this month, a Starliner launch faced a last-minute postponement, with astronauts already strapped in, due to another technical snag.

“The additional time allows teams to further assess" the helium leak, NASA said on its website.

Also Read: NASA shares stunning image: Hubble Telescope captures triple-star system 550 light-years away

The two astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, are in the meantime staying in Houston, Texas until the mission is ready.

This latest setback adds to the already prolonged wait for the much-anticipated mission, which has been plagued by years of delays. The timing couldn't be more challenging for Boeing, with safety concerns swirling around its commercial aviation division, a stalwart of aerospace innovation for over a century.

Also Read: 10 breathtaking NASA images showing Earth in all its glory; from Shanghai city lights to storm in Arabian sea, see pics

For NASA, the success of the Starliner mission is pivotal in certifying a second commercial vehicle for ferrying crews to the International Space Station. SpaceX, under Elon Musk's leadership, achieved this milestone back in 2020 with its Dragon capsule, effectively breaking nearly a decade-long reliance on Russian rockets post the Space Shuttle program's conclusion.

(With inputs from AFP)

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