Washington: Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams was all set to go into space for the third time on Tuesday when NASA and Boeing scrapped the flight just hours before the launch. Due to a malfunctioning oxygen relief valve on the second stage of the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, Starliner’s first human spaceflight, known as the Crew Flight Test, to the International Space Station was scrubbed.
Minutes later Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore exited the Starliner spacecraft at Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral space center in Florida and returned to their astronaut crew quarters. NASA said that the launch was called off as the teams evaluated an oxygen relief valve on the Centaur Stage on the Atlas V.
United Launch Alliance, the company that makes the Atlas V rocket, stated that the choice was made in response to the discovery of a liquid oxygen self-regulating solenoid relief valve on the Centaur upper stage. In an update, ULA stated that “the team needs additional time to complete a full assessment.”
The reason for the extreme caution is that ULA is sending astronauts into space on its rocket for the first time. Its success percentage when it comes to cargo and payload launches is 100%. NASA has rescheduled the Boeing Starliner’s attempted launch on May 10 atop the ULA rocket.
NASA said, “We are targeting no earlier than Friday, May 10, for the launch of the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test to the International Space Station, pending resolution of the technical issue that prevented the May 6 launch attempt”. It further stated that the delay enables teams to finish data analysis on a pressure regulation valve located on the Centaur upper stage liquid oxygen tank of the Atlas V rocket and ascertain whether the valve needs to be replaced.
The United States wants to certify the second spacecraft that can carry people into orbit and back. The commercial space race has been led thus far by SpaceX’s Crew Dragon. The Calypso spacecraft, a Starliner that can fly on its own or with human guidance, is scheduled to dock and meet the space station on Wednesday.
