NASA, Boeing, and United Launch Alliance scrubbed the launch opportunity on Monday, May 6 for the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test to the International Space Station due to a faulty oxygen relief valve observation on the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket Centaur second stage.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams exited the Starliner spacecraft at Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida and will return to astronaut crew quarters.
In the context of spaceflight, when NASA refers to a launch as “scrubbed,” it means that the planned launch of a spacecraft has been canceled, postponed, or delayed. This decision can be made for various reasons, including technical issues, mechanical failures, unfavorable weather conditions, or other safety concerns that arise before the spacecraft can be safely launched.
NASA, Boeing, and United Launch Alliance hosted a news conference at 10:30 p.m. EDT to discuss Monday’s scrubbed launch attempt of the agency’s Crew Flight Test. (See video below.)
The following participated in the news conference:
- Ken Bowersox, associate administrator, NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate
- Steve Stich, manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program
- Dana Weigel, manager, International Space Station Program at NASA
- Mark Nappi, vice president and program manager, Commercial Crew Program, Boeing
- Tory Bruno, president and CEO, United Launch Alliance
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