On Wednesday, June 5, Boeing’s Starliner made its first human launch, carrying two NASA astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). The Starliner spacecraft was launched into orbit by an Atlas V launch vehicle, with astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams on board. This marked a significant milestone in space travel history as Suni Williams became the first woman to take part in the test flight of the American spacecraft that carries astronauts into space.
Boeing had previously conducted test flights of the Starliner in unmanned mode, leading up to this historic manned launch. The success of the Starliner flight opens up new possibilities for NASA’s human spaceflight program, allowing for more options in sending astronauts to the ISS and beyond. This achievement comes more than a decade after the end of the Space Shuttle program, showcasing the advancements in space exploration technology and capabilities.
NASA’s sixth test flight with people on board was a successful launch that gives NASA additional capability to send astronauts to the ISS and return them to Earth on reusable manned vehicles, complementing SpaceX’s Crew Dragon program. Boeing has been developing the Starliner reusable manned spacecraft under a contract with NASA, joining SpaceX as a developer of new systems for delivering astronauts to the ISS. This collaboration between NASA and Boeing will pave the way for future missions and exploration beyond our planet.
