Space aficionados–and Boeing investors–will have to wait a little longer to follow the launch of the company’s Starliner crew-transport system. Another test flight of the autonomous, reusable space capsule was called off on Tuesday.
An earlier test of the craft was postponed on July 30 after a Russian science module had unexpected problems docking with the International Space Station.
The ISS Is the planned destination for Starliner, the product Boeing is offering (ticker: BA) to help re-establish crewed space transport from American soil. Elon Musk’s SpaceX won certification to fly astronauts to the ISS after completing its final test in May 2020.
Before SpaceX’s success, astronauts hadn’t launched from the U.S. since the Space Shuttle program was retired a decade ago.
Tuesday’s delay wasn’t the fault of weather or an unexpected external event. Boeing engineers detected ” unexpected valve position indications” in the vehicle’s propulsion system, so they made the conservative decision to wait.
“We’re disappointed with today’s outcome and the need to reschedule,” said John Vollmer, vice president and program manager for Boeing’s Commercial Crew Program, in the company’s news release. “Human spaceflight is a complex, precise and unforgiving endeavor, and Boeing and NASA teams will take the time they need to ensure the safety and integrity of the spacecraft and the achievement of our mission objectives.”
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