Boeing’s first flight into space, Starliner spacecraft launch despite glitches

After a delay of three years, finally Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft has been launched. The spacecraft was launched from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at around 4.30 am Indian time on the Atlas V rocket of the United Launch Alliance (ULA). It is on the way to the International Space Station (ISS). If all goes according to plan, Starliner will dock with the ISS on Friday evening. It will remain there for about four to five days. Through this mission, Boeing wants to tell that its spacecraft is ready to carry astronauts.

Many private companies are competing in the race for American aerospace. These include Boeing, which wants to improve its reputation in the space sector by testing an unmanned astronaut capsule. This launch was pending for a long time, which has benefited Elon Musk’s Space Venture SpaceX.

according to the reportThis launch is a big success for Boeing and NASA. After separating from the Atlas V rocket, the Starliner placed itself in orbit. Earlier this launch had to be postponed twice. For the first time, the launch could not take place in the year 2019 due to software failure. At the same time, last year there was a conflict between Boeing and its partner Aerojet over the Starliner’s propulsion system. Due to this, the test flight of July 2021 also had to be cancelled.

This liftoff is a milestone for the United Launch Alliance (ULA). This rocket company has completed its 150th launch. In the post-launch press conference, experts from NASA and Boeing congratulated their teams for their hard work. Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, said today was a big day. However, he also mentioned a minor flaw in the Starliner. Told that during the orbital insertion burn of the spacecraft, the two thrusters of the Starliner did not fire as expected. However, the burn process was completed due to the backup system.

If all goes according to plan, the Starliner could fly its first crew of astronauts sometime in the near future. Although NASA officials have said that it may be delayed. The delay in this mission has resulted in an extra cost of Rs 4,622 crore on Boeing. Through the mission, Boeing wants to directly challenge its rival SpaceX. Although right now she is seen behind in this race.