Boeing's Starliner Delayed Indefinitely
Boeing announced on Thursday, alongside NASA, that it would further delay the inaugural crewed launch of its Starliner spacecraft, an unfortunate setback occasioned by the discovery of fresh issues with the spacecraft's systems. In an industry where the tiniest oversight could result in catastrophic failures, the delay might be a disappointing development, but it is also a necessary one. The Crew Flight Test (CFT) for Starliner, which was previously scheduled for July 21, was to transport a duo of NASA astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). However, two new issues with Starliner have been discovered, compelling Boeing to press the pause button. One concern revolves around the reliability of the spacecraft's parachute systems, while the other involves a particular type of tape that was unexpectedly found to be combustible. During a press conference, Boeing's VP and Starliner manager, Mark Nappi, expressed the company's stance: “We’ve decided to stand down the preparation for the CFT mission in order to correct these problems.” He also stated that the decision to delay was taken up to “the top levels of Boeing," involving the CEO, Dave Calhoun.