Boeing's Starliner Capsule Back at Launch Pad

Spacecraft to Attempt Second Orbital Flight Test

United Launch Alliance Atlas V Rocket and Starliner En Route

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - After months of work to fix software and component issues, Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spacecraft is back at the launch pad and ready for another attempt at reaching the International Space Station. The Starliner, which is designed to carry astronauts into low-Earth orbit, will spend five to ten days in space conducting tests and demonstrations before returning to Earth.

The spacecraft is scheduled to launch on May 19, 2022, aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. If successful, this mission will be the first orbital flight test of Starliner with a crew, and a major step towards Boeing's goal of providing NASA with a commercial crew transportation system.

The Starliner's first attempt at an orbital flight test, in December 2019, ended in failure when software problems caused the spacecraft to perform an improper insertion into orbit. Boeing has since redesigned and tested key systems in the spacecraft and the rocket.

The upcoming launch is a critical milestone for Boeing, which has invested billions of dollars in developing Starliner. NASA is also counting on the spacecraft to provide a safe and reliable way to transport astronauts, reducing its reliance on Russian Soyuz spacecraft.