NASA Postpones First Manned Test Flight of Boeing’s Starliner Spacecraft due to Security Issue

NASA has announced the postponement of the first manned test flight of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, just hours before the planned launch. The delay is due to a recently discovered security issue that needs to be addressed before the launch can proceed. Bill Nelson, head of NASA, emphasized that safety is the top priority and they will launch when they are confident in the spacecraft’s readiness.

The Starliner has faced production delays in the past, with issues during the first unmanned test flight in 2019 and further delays in 2021 due to technical problems. Despite these setbacks, NASA aims to have the Starliner operational alongside SpaceX’s Dragon ship for manned flights to the International Space Station (ISS).

NASA is hoping for a successful Starliner test flight in order to have another spacecraft capable of carrying astronauts to the ISS. ULA, a company involved in the project, stated that the new launch date will be organized at the earliest on Friday, as a thorough evaluation process takes time. Once fully operational, NASA plans to use it to transport astronauts to the ISS in addition to SpaceX’s spacecraft.