Starliner launched: Astronaut Sunita Williams pilots 'Calypso' to space

New Delhi,UPDATED: Jun 5, 2024 20:25 IST

After multiple delays, two scrubs and several glitches later, Boeing's Starliner spacecraft launched on its maiden human flight to space on Wednesday.

Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams flew onboard the Starliner on her third mission alongside astronaut Butch Willmore, who is the commander of the Crew Flight Test mission of the spacecraft.

The two astronauts have been training for years for the launch as they manoeuvre the spacecraft to dock autonomously with the International Space Station, over 400 kilometres above the surface of the planet.

The Starliner spacecraft, dubbed Calypso, has been developed by Boeing, under a contract from Nasa. It has run into several delays and glitches in its developmental process. The spacecraft has flown twice to the Space Station, both uncrewed missions.

Astronaut Sunita Williams, who is piloting the spacecraft, and Willmore, the flight commander for the mission, are seasoned space travellers, and were part of the Shuttle missions to space. The two astronauts were to dock the Starliner spacecraft with the Space Station after a 24-hour-long flight on Sunday.

MULTIPLE SCRUBS

The launch was scrubbed on June 1, just four minutes before lift-off, when the ground launch sequencer failed to load properly. Previous attempts in May were aborted due to a faulty oxygen relief valve and a helium leak in the service module.

If successful, the Starliner capsule will reach the ISS after approximately 26 hours and dock with the orbiting research outpost around 250 miles above Earth. Wilmore and Williams are scheduled to remain at the station for roughly a week before returning to Earth via the Starliner for a parachute and airbag-assisted landing in the US southwestern desert – a first for crewed Nasa missions.

The spacecraft could play a crucial role for Nasa in transporting astronauts to and from the Space Station. So far, Nasa, which has transferred the transportation role to private companies, is dependent on the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.

WHAT IS STARLINER?

Starliner is a reusable crew capsule developed by Boeing as part of Nasa's Commercial Crew Program.

It is designed to transport astronauts to and from the International Space Station, providing a safe and reliable means of human spaceflight. The capsule can accommodate up to seven passengers and features an innovative weldless structure, wireless internet, and tablet technology for crew interfaces.

Starliner is equipped with a pusher abort system for crew escape during launch and ascent. With a reusability of up to 10 missions and a six-month turnaround time, Starliner aims to make human spaceflight more cost-effective and accessible.