Boeing Starliner crewed launch delayed again over helium leak

Boeing Co. and NASA have delayed the first crewed launch of Boeing’s Starliner space taxi yet again, as the two entities continue to review a helium leak plaguing the vehicle.

The launch, most recently set for as early as May 25, has now been put on hold and NASA “will share more details once we have a clearer path forward,” according to a statement late Tuesday in the US.

“The team has been in meetings for two consecutive days, assessing flight rationale, system performance, and redundancy. There is still forward work in these areas, and the next possible launch opportunity is still being discussed,” the statement said.

The seemingly indefinite postponement marks the latest of multiple delays this month for Starliner’s human spaceflight debut, the latest setback for a program that’s dealt with cost overruns, technical glitches, and a botched test flight.

Boeing was poised to launch its first passengers on Starliner, part of a critical test flight for NASA to determine if the spacecraft can safely transport people to and from the International Space Station. Should it one day be successful, the test could pave the way for Boeing to perform routine trips with NASA astronauts to the ISS, a capability that rival SpaceX has performed for years.  

The issues with Starliner’s development have put this test flight roughly seven years behind schedule. Now that the capsule was seemingly ready to fly with people, it’s having difficulty getting off the ground. 

A launch attempt on May 6 was halted due to an issue with a pressure valve on the Atlas V rocket meant to carry Starliner to space. Since then, Boeing and NASA have repeatedly delayed the flight as the two work on the helium leak.