Boeing's Starliner spacecraft launches to ISS despite thruster issue

Alex Wilkins

Boeing's Starliner is on its way to the International Space Station despite an issue with its thrusters. The uncrewed test mission will mark an important step in expanding the capability for sending astronauts to space from US soil.

The spaceship is scheduled to arrive at the International Space Station at 23.10GMT on Friday, almost 24 hours after it took off.

The launch was a success, but two of the 12 onboard thrusters failed. The malfunction is not likely to be a major issue, as the backup thrusters ensured the spaceship could continue on its way.

Mark Nappi, commercial crew manager, said at a press conference on 19 May that the system was redundant and performed like it was supposed to.

There was a troubled past for the spacecraft. A faulty clock meant the rocket's boosters failed to fire after lift-off, preventing it from reaching the International Space Station in 2019. Pre-flight checks revealed valves that needed to be repaired, and the launch was delayed until May.

The UK Space Agency says that getting a new spaceship into space is always challenging.

If Starliner is able to reach the space station on Friday, it will be the second commercial space outfit capable of flying US astronauts to space, with Starliner's first crewed launch pencilled in for later this year. Two astronauts were sent to the International Space Station by the crew of the Crew Dragon capsule in May 2020.

When the only way to get to the International Space Station was by Russia's Soyuz spaceship, astronauts risked being stranded on the station while the issue was investigated. NASA encouraged the commercial space sector to avoid relying on Russia, an issue that has become more pressing since the country's invasion of Ukraine.

If there are problems with either of the two ways of getting into space, they have another way to get there.

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