Boeing, an Aerospace company plans to launch its first crewed space mission in June despite an unresolved helium gas leak on the troubled Starliner spacecraft, officials announced on Friday.
This vessel, which has been in development since 2010, has faced numerous technical challenges and has yet to achieve its primary goal of transporting astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). In the meantime, Boeing’s competitor, SpaceX, has surged ahead with its successful Crew Dragon capsule.
The Starliner was initially scheduled to carry astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams to the ISS on May 6. However, the mission was abruptly canceled just hours before the scheduled lift-off due to the discovery of a faulty valve on the United Launch Alliance rocket intended to carry the spacecraft.
Despite this setback, Boeing is determined to move forward with the mission in June, even though the small helium leak remains unfixed.
Since then, additional complications have emerged, notably a helium leak within the spacecraft’s service module, which contains the propulsion system. While the faulty rocket valve has been replaced, Boeing and NASA officials have decided to proceed with the mission without addressing a small, shirt button-sized seal on a leaking joint.
During a press briefing, Steve Stich, the manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, explained, “We can manage this particular leak even if the leak rate increases by up to 100 times.”
READ ALSO: Joe Biden’s Campaign Seeks Meme Manager to Enhance Online Engagement
He further noted that the leak affects only one of the 28 thrusters responsible for controlling the spacecraft’s orientation, suggesting the issue is not critical to the mission’s success.
Instead of replacing the seal, teams will carefully monitor the leak in the hours leading up to the launch, which is now slated for June 1 at 12:25 pm (1625 GMT) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. This approach underscores the confidence NASA and Boeing have in their ability to manage the situation and proceed with their long-awaited crewed mission.
When asked why Boeing wouldn’t simply replace the problematic seal, Mark Nappi, the company’s vice president for the commercial crew program, explained that the process would be “quite involved” and would necessitate dismantling Starliner at its factory.
Steve Stich of NASA added that flying with minor leaks is not unprecedented; space shuttles experienced similar issues on occasion. “We’ve also had a few small leaks with Dragon,” he noted, referring to SpaceX’s capsule.
This long-delayed mission comes at a particularly challenging time for Boeing, as the company grapples with a safety crisis affecting its commercial aviation sector.
NASA, meanwhile, is counting on the Starliner’s success to finally certify a second commercial vehicle capable of transporting crews to the International Space Station. This has been a critical goal for NASA since the last space shuttle mission in 2011.
READ ALSO: TikTok Restricts State-Controlled Media to Address Foreign Influence Concerns
A successful Starliner mission would not only fulfill a key objective for NASA but also help restore confidence in Boeing’s space program.
Overcoming the numerous setbacks that have plagued the Starliner project would go a long way in addressing the issues that have left a bitter taste in the mouths of stakeholders and observers alike.
The mission is now scheduled for June 1 at 12:25 pm (1625 GMT) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, with teams prepared to closely monitor the leak during the pre-launch period.