The News
Sunday 22 of December 2024

More delays for Boeing's new space capsule for astronauts


AP Photo,FILE - This undated photo made available by NASA on Aug. 3, 2018 shows mockups of Boeing's CST-100 Starliner and SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsules with crew members, from left, Sunita Williams, Josh Cassada, Eric Boe, Nicole Mann, Christopher Ferguson, Douglas Hurley, Robert Behnken, Michael Hopkins and Victor Glover at the Johnson Space Center in Texas. Boe, pulled for unspecified medical reasons in January 2019, was replaced by Mike Fincke. The Starliner capsule, supposed to make its debut in April 2019, was pushed back until August. SpaceX’s Dragon capsule could fly with a test crew in the summer of 2019, but the schedule is under review. (NASA via AP)
AP Photo,FILE - This undated photo made available by NASA on Aug. 3, 2018 shows mockups of Boeing's CST-100 Starliner and SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsules with crew members, from left, Sunita Williams, Josh Cassada, Eric Boe, Nicole Mann, Christopher Ferguson, Douglas Hurley, Robert Behnken, Michael Hopkins and Victor Glover at the Johnson Space Center in Texas. Boe, pulled for unspecified medical reasons in January 2019, was replaced by Mike Fincke. The Starliner capsule, supposed to make its debut in April 2019, was pushed back until August. SpaceX’s Dragon capsule could fly with a test crew in the summer of 2019, but the schedule is under review. (NASA via AP)

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Boeing’s new space capsule for astronauts faces more launch delays.

The Starliner capsule was supposed to make its debut this month, after a series of postponements. But the first test flight is now off until August. And the second test flight, with astronauts, won’t occur until late in the year.

NASA announced the revised lineup Wednesday. At the same time, officials said the first Starliner crew will remain at the International Space Station longer than the few weeks originally anticipated. The length will be decided later.

SpaceX, NASA’s other commercial crew provider, flew its new Dragon capsule to the International Space Station last month. The first Dragon with astronauts could fly this summer, but the schedule is under review.