The second uncrewed test flight of the Starliner will be conducted by NASA and Boeing.
The team announced during a meeting on Wednesday that the Starliner mission will be launched on May 19.
Starliner, we are go for launch.
In today's Flight Readiness Review, Boeing, @NASA and its international partners gave a "go" for Orbital Flight Test-2.
Thank you, NASA, for working side-by-side with us to prepare for #OFT2.
Learn more: https://t.co/AsIXVDWQHn pic.twitter.com/DeiOdXFND9
— Boeing Space (@BoeingSpace) May 11, 2022
After a full day of briefings and discussions during a Flight Readiness Review, NASA and Boeing are moving forward with plans for the uncrewed Orbital Flight Test-2 to the International Space Station.
There is a lot riding on next week's mission as it follows a failed attempt to send the Starliner to the International Space Station. Technical problems prevented the launch from going ahead in August of last year.
After launching from the Kennedy Space Center on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, the Starliner will reach the International Space Station about 24 hours later. It will stay docked for up to 10 days before it lands in New Mexico. Hundreds of pounds of cargo will be carried to and from the space station.
If Boeing can prove the safety and reliability of its Starliner capsule in the upcoming test flight, NASA will have another vehicle it can use for astronauts.
NASA's Commercial Crew Program involves the space agency working with commercial companies to develop and fly human space transportation systems.
The most important step right now is to go fly this orbital flight test uncrewed to test the key systems on Starliner, according to the Commercial Crew Program manager.
The hardware is ready, it is great to see the team in place to fly the flight.
Boeing shared a time-lapse of the Starliner being stacked atop the Atlas V rocket.
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