BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — The second Starliner test flight has an official launch date, according to United Launch Alliance.
Boeing’s Crew Space Transportation-100 Starliner spacecraft will launch on July 30 at 2:53 p.m. from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
What You Need To Know
- The second uncrewed Starliner test flight launch will take place July 30 at 2:53 p.m.
- The first test flight in 2019 was unsuccessful after it entered the wrong orbit
- An original launch date was set for March but was ultimately delayed
- More: Schedule of future Florida launches
“This test flight is the last major step before the Atlas V and Boeing's Starliner capsule take American astronauts to the International Space Station as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program,” ULA said in a news release.
The announcement comes after an unsuccessful first attempt in December 2019. The Starliner was originally launched on Dec. 20 aboard an Atlas V rocket and was supposed to deliver supplies to the International Space Station.
About 30 minutes into the flight, an "anomaly" sent the spacecraft into the wrong orbit, which prevented it from reaching the ISS. NASA identified three main concerns during the flight and ordered a second test.
While the second test was set for March of this year, the launch was delayed after “winter storms in Houston, and the recent replacement of avionics boxes” set the program back, according to NASA.
What a beauty! The Centaur second stage is in the Delta Operations Center (DOC) ready for processing for our next #AtlasV launch, @BoeingSpace’s #Starliner OFT-2 mission to the @Space_Station, scheduled for July 30. https://t.co/VIynIdVS23 pic.twitter.com/9Lax2E1nZk
— ULA (@ulalaunch) June 10, 2021
This will mark the 145th mission for ULA and the 88th Atlas V launch.