Boeing’s Starliner set to make historic maiden crewed flight from Cape Canaveral
Two spacecrafts, Boeing’s Starliner and SpaceX’s Dragon, have been developed to transport astronauts to the International Space Station. Boeing’s Starliner is scheduled to embark on its first crewed flight on May 6 from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, marking a significant moment in space travel.
The Starliner will be launched with the assistance of a ULA Atlas V rocket, making it the first time astronauts are being sent into space from this particular site. Following the success of the upcoming Crew Flight Test, Boeing aims to have Starliner regularly transport NASA astronauts, with NASA having already purchased six additional crewed missions.
The crew capsule of Starliner, named Calypso, will be piloted by astronaut Sunita “Suni” Williams and mission commander Butch Wilmore. This spacecraft has the capacity to carry up to seven astronauts and can provide a six-month service time in between missions.
In contrast, SpaceX’s Dragon has been transporting NASA crews since 2020 and uses a different landing method by splashing down in the ocean. Both Boeing’s Starliner and SpaceX’s Dragon were selected under NASA’s Commercial Crew program in 2014 to offer transportation to the ISS for NASA astronauts after the retirement of the Space Shuttle.
Boeing’s Starliner will be the first spacecraft to ferry humans from Space Launch Complex 41, contributing to the historic missions that have been launched from this site over the years. Stay tuned for more updates on this momentous event.
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