Boeing Starliner rolled out ahead of its planned first crewed launch

Editor's Note: This story has been updated to clarifies in the second paragraph that Starliner did fulfill the major test-flight requirement in successfully docking and undocking with the space station but Boeing still had adjustments to make before this first crewed flight.

A Boeing spacecraft, CST-100 Starliner, descended from space beneath three parachutes in May of 2022. An airbag underneath softened the landing as the craft touched down in the White Sands, New Mexico desert. Onboard, a test dummy, “Rosie the Rocketeer, ”which took measurements of stressors on a human body, awaited retrieval.

It seemed like a perfect landing, yet while the spacecraft successfully docked and undocked with the International Space Station, delivering approximately 600 pounds of cargo, not all went as planned. A 2023 report by NASA’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel released in January noted some areas, such as a fix that would allow the craft to land even in higher winds, still needed to be worked before a crewed flight. Still, the 2022 flight was seen as a major step forward considering the first flight test in December 2019 failed to dock with the station and which NASA later classified as a "high-visibility close call.

It is now almost two years since that landing, and Starliner is set to launch to the space station once again. This time, with two astronauts onboard.

Early Tuesday, the spacecraft rolled out to meet its Atlas V rocket at Launch Complex 41, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Teams at Boeing say they are confident that Starliner is ready to fly as soon as 10:34 p.m. EDT on May 6th.

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Starliner heads for a meeting with the Atlas V rocket

In the pre-dawn hours of Tuesday, Starliner emerged from Kennedy Space Center's Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility along with its upcoming passengers.

Cheers erupted from the crowd as the capsule headed towards the launch pad. After almost two years of waiting, it was ready to fly again. Veteran astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, the first Starliner passengers, posed with their ride.

The astronauts took turn sitting in the drivers seat of the capsule transporter to the amusement of spectators.

"Big day for NASA. Big day for Boeing as we get over to the rocket and mate these things together," Wilmore said. "Go Starliner."

"We're super proud of this team," Williams added as she turned to the Boeing team. "They made it happen and its time to turn over from production to operation. We're ready to take it. We're ready."

Starliner mission to the Space Station

After launching to the International Space Station on May 6, the two astronauts will spend about 10 days and be solely focused on making sure Starliner functions smoothly and meets all standards. From launch to docking with the ISS to landing, they will be monitoring the spacecraft's performance. The astronauts will also demonstrate that the spacecraft can perform as a "safe haven", in case of an emergency onboard the ISS.

This will be the flight which certifies the Starliner spacecraft to fly NASA crewed missions.

What is Boeing Starliner?

Starliner, or CST-100, is a spacecraft developed by Boeing to transport astronauts to the International Space Station. Boeing refers to it as "a next-generation space capsule that will take people to and from low-Earth orbit." Simply put, Starliner is designed for the ISS, and not beyond.

The CST-100 Starliner, will have the ability to carry up to seven crew members or a mix of crew members and cargo, according to Boeing. The CST in its name stands for "Crew Space Transportation".

According to Boeing, the spacecraft is fully autonomous, flying itself to its destination. The spacecraft also has the ability to identify and even correct errors. However, should there be the need for manual control, the astronauts can take over.

Boeing states that the Starliner spacecraft will be reusable, with the ability to fly up to 10 missions. There will be a six-month service period to ready the spacecraft for another flight.

Starliner will launch early May on a ULA Atlas V rocket

Boeing is planning for an early May launch atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket.

Before heading over to meet the Atlas V rocket, the Starliner spacecraft stopped in from of the Kennedy Space Center Vehicle Assembly Building.

Starliner is part of NASA's partnership with private companies to transport crews to the ISS. Boeing was contracted, along with SpaceX, by NASA to fly astronauts to the station as part of the commercial crew program in 2014. The initial contracts were for $4.82 billion for Boeing and $3.14 billion for SpaceX.

While SpaceX has successfully flown astronauts to and from the ISS since 2020 with its Crew Dragon, Boeing has yet to prove that ability with its Starliner.

To date, SpaceX's Dragon has launched 13 crewed missions with a mix of NASA and private crews. According to an August 2022 NASA statement, SpaceX is currently contracted to fly astronauts to the ISS until Crew-14, giving NASA transportation to the ISS until 2030.

What was wrong with Boeing’s Starliner?

Among the issues that Boeing needed to address after its May 2022 second orbital test flight were the failure of two thrusters alongside hardware and safety concerns found post-landing. Originally hoped to launch last year, these hardware and safety issues kept Starliner grounded throughout 2023.

Starliner also faced repairs at Kennedy Space Center for a weak fabric link joint system on its parachutes and flammability of tape for securing wiring harnesses throughout the spacecraft.

Starliner progress has come slowly

FLORIDA TODAY spoke with Laura Forczyk, a consultant in the space industry, on Starliner’s progress. “Not far enough. It is years behind schedule. Years behind SpaceX’s Dragon. 2017 was the initial target date for the first launches for both SpaceX and Boeing,” said Forczyk.

Both companies missed that target date, yet SpaceX has been successfully transporting NASA crewed missions since 2020, including Demo-2 and Crews 1-8.

“They have yet to prove their crew demo flight which is what their next step is.” Forczyk said of Boeing.

This crewed test flight of Boeing’s Starliner is comparable to SpaceX’s Demo-2 mission in 2020, which certified the Dragon spacecraft to transport astronauts. Demo-2 launched NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the station. The Demo-2 mission was the first launch of astronauts from America since the retirement of the Space Shuttle in 2011.

“Because of the great care that Boeing and NASA working together have done to ensure that Starliner is successful, I do believe that this first flight with astronauts onboard will be successful," Forczyk said.

Florida Tech connection to astronauts flying on Starliner

The two NASA astronauts flying this mission are Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Sunita "Suni" Williams. Mike Fincke is on the roster as a backup test pilot.

Wilmore, the Starliner flight test commander, has previously flown to space twice, racking up a 178 days. On top of being a NASA astronaut, he is a retired U.S. Navy captain and fighter pilot. Wilmore flew the F/A-18 Hornet and T-45 Goshawk.

According to a statement released by Boeing, Wilmore also serves as a pastor for Providence Baptist church in Pasadena, Texas.

Sunita Williams, the Starliner flight test pilot, racked up 322 days in space, completing 7 spacewalks. According to a Boeing statement, while on the space station, Williams also partook in the Boston Marathon, running along on a treadmill. Like Wilmore, she is a retired U.S. Navy captain. The aircrafts she has flown include the CH-46 Sea Knight and V-22 Osprey.

Williams earned her master's degree in engineering science from Florida Tech in 1995. Last year, she gave a commencement speech to the 2023 Florida Tech graduates.

On a down-to-earth note, Williams is an animal lover. Williams will be flying two dog tags with her in honor of her two rescue Labrador Retrievers.

What's next for Boeing Starliner?

Following a successful crewed flight test, Boeing's Starliner will be selected to transport its first full NASA crew of four astronauts to the ISS for a long duration stay. This mission, which the launch date has yet to be determined, will be named Starliner-1.

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Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today. Contact her at bedwards@floridatoday.com or on X: @brookeofstars.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: After 2 year wait, Starliner rolls out for crewed Florida rocket launch