BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Boeingโs Starliner spacecraft is on its way to the International Space Station after a successful launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
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Now, NASA is a step closer to having another transportation system to carry astronauts to the ISS.
The uncrewed Boeingโs CST-100 Starliner is in orbit, heading to the station on a demonstration mission for NASAโs Commercial Crew program.
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โEverything is going perfectly,โ said Dr. Ken Kremer with Space UpClose. โThey had the orbital insertion burn at T+31 minutes. Thatโs where it went awry last time at the original OFT test flight.โ
A software glitch during Starlinerโs first orbital flight test in 2019 prevented the spacecraft from ever reaching the space station.
โRight now, everything is on target, but it still has to dock at the International Space Station,โ Kremer said. โIf it doesnโt dock, then astronauts canโt get aboard on future flights.โ
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The Starliner and its 800 pounds of crew supplies and cargo are scheduled to dock with ISS Friday evening. However, that wonโt conclude the flight test.
Teams will still be monitoring the spacecraft aboard the station as well as its reentry and landing.
If it all goes well, NASA will be closer to having two U.S. crew transportation options for the ISS: SpaceX and Boeing.
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