Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is ready to launch to the ISS

Alex Wilkins

Two years ago, Boeing's Starliner was supposed to make its first trip to the International Space Station, but it failed to do so and has been malfunctioning ever since. If the test is a success, it will mark an important step in expanding the capability for sending astronauts to space from US soil.

The launch is scheduled for Thursday, May 19th, at 22.54 pm in Florida. The United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket will be used to launch the Starliner. It will make its way to the International Space Station.

The hatch is closed, we did one last cycle of the valves, and they all worked normally. Mark Nappi, commercial crew manager at Boeing, said during a press conference on 17 May that they are in good shape.