Boeing’s long-awaited first crewed spaceflight is back on track! After weeks of troubleshooting, NASA and Boeing say the Starliner capsule will finally launch two astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) as early as June 1—despite a pesky helium leak that’s kept Earthbound so far. 🌍🔧
The issue? A faulty rubber seal smaller than a bottle cap caused the leak in the propulsion system. But engineers insist even if it worsens mid-flight, they’ve got a plan. \"We’re still learning—this is a test flight,\" said Boeing’s Mark Nappi, channeling major ‘science in progress’ energy. 🛠️💡
This isn’t Starliner’s first rodeo: Its 2019 and 2022 test flights faced software glitches and other hiccups. If May’s initial launch hadn’t been scrapped over a separate rocket valve issue, astronauts would’ve already been troubleshooting the leak in orbit. Talk about plot twists! 🎢
NASA’s Steve Stich revealed another curveball—a \"design vulnerability\" in the propulsion system—but teams have crafted backup solutions. \"We’re not flying until we’re sure,\" stressed NASA’s Jim Free. Safety first, always. 🚦👨🚀
Why does this matter? With SpaceX already ferrying crews since 2020, NASA wants two reliable space taxis. Boeing’s years behind schedule, but success here means future astronauts won’t have to put all their eggs in one rocket-shaped basket. 🚀🚀
