Boeing Starliner set for launch, taking two astronauts into space

Long delayed flight which was supposed to launch humans in 2020 under nasa’s commercial crew program finally ready to go Boeing starliner spacecraft when first tested, had a computer problem that put it in the wrong orbit. And now years later, it’s finally ready to launch humans into space. NASA has two of its most experienced on Monday’s test flight pilot Sunita Williams and commander Butch Wilmore. We’re absolutely confident in all aspects. We don’t expect to have significant failure modes. We don’t expect things to go wrong, but we, we know that we are going to be fine because we have this backup capability. This mission launching on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V from pad 41 at Cap Canaveral six decades after the Atlas launched John Glenn on his historic mission, the last human to launch from here, Gordon Cooper on Mercury back in May 1963. Boeing’s Leroy Kane says having a crew on board is what they need to test the starliner. The crew interaction with starliner to see how well does she work with people inside Boeing needs a successful launch. Having fallen behind the other commercial launch provider spacex, which just unveiled its new high tech spacesuit SpaceX, hoping to launch another private Polaris mission which will send astronauts on the first private spacewalk with these newly designed space walking suits later this year. Meantime, the starliner rocket now on the launch pad, the crew saying goodbye to their family and friends as the countdown to liftoff begins. And I’m thankful that this time has transpired because we’ve learned so much. It’s been really useful time working with, you know, NASA engineers and the Boeing company to really understand the spacecraft.