Boeing is set to start taking astronauts to the ISS space station with its Starliner capsule, marking a new era in space travel. The first manned flight from Florida’s Cape Canaveral is scheduled to depart on Saturday at 19:25 Finnish time, after several delays due to technical issues. Despite minor leaks and valve adjustments, the decision has been made to proceed with the flight, as it is not expected to hinder the mission.
Meanwhile, SpaceX’s Crew Dragon has been successfully transporting astronauts to the station since November 2020, providing a reliable alternative to the Russian Soyuz spaceship. Both private capsules have been developed with funding from NASA, marking a shift towards commercial space travel. Starliner, in particular, has experienced delays but is now poised to make its debut trip to the ISS.
The human presence on the ISS, which has been orbiting the Earth for over two decades, is set to continue with astronauts regularly rotating every six months. NASA’s experienced astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunny Williams will be staying at the station for a brief ten days before returning to Earth on the Starliner capsule. The spacecraft has the capacity to accommodate seven astronauts at once and is designed for multiple uses, potentially reducing reliance on older technology like the Soyuz.
With the retirement of the space shuttles in 2011, American astronauts have had to rely on the Soyuz for transportation to the station, but with advancements in private space travel, alternatives have become apparent. The development of commercial capsules like Starliner and Crew Dragon signals a new era in space exploration, paving the way for more frequent and efficient travel
