# System glitch prompts Boeing to postpone test space flight
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2021-08-03
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: Boeing Scrubs Starliner Capsule Launch to Space Station Due
Meta Description: Boeing's CST-100 Starliner launch postponed to the ISS due to an unexpected valve issue. Stay updated on the rescheduled launch date from Cape Canaveral.
URL: https://financedigest.com/system-glitch-prompts-boeing-to-postpone-test-space-flighthtml

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By Eric M. Johnson

(Reuters) -Boeing Co on Tuesday scrubbed the launch of its CST-100 Starliner capsule to the International Space Station due to an unexpected system glitch, in the latest setback following the vehicle’s botched 2019 debut.

It was not immediately clear whether the launch would be rescheduled for Wednesday.

During pre-launch preparations, [Boeing engineers detected “unexpected](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-economys-unexpected-bounce-spurs-more-boe-rate-hike-talk.html "UK economy’s unexpected bounce spurs more BoE rate hike talk") valve position indications” in its propulsion system, Boeing said in a statement. The problem was detected during checks after electrical storms in the region, Boeing added.

We’re disappointed with today’s outcome and the need to reschedule our Starliner launch,” said John Vollmer, the [program’s manager](https://www.financedigest.com/financial-management-degree-program.html "Financial Management Degree Program"). Human spaceflight is a complex, precise and unforgiving endeavor, and Boeing and NASA teams will take the time they [need to ensure the safety and integrity of the spacecraft and the achievement of our mission objectives.”](https://www.financedigest.com/why-coding-needs-to-be-re-evaluated-for-sustainability-objectives.html "Why coding needs to be re-evaluated for sustainability objectives")

The Starliner capsule loaded with supplies had been scheduled to have blasted off atop an Atlas V rocket flown by the United [Launch Alliance](https://www.financedigest.com/fido-alliance-launches-european-working-group-to-expand-use-of-authentication-standards.html "Fido Alliance Launches European Working Group To Expand Use Of Authentication Standards"), a partnership of Boeing and Lockheed Martin Corp, at 1:20 p.m. EDT (1720 GMT) from Space [Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force](https://www.financedigest.com/forces-compare-launches-to-protect-the-military-from-being-overcharged.html "Forces Compare Launches to Protect The Military From Being Overcharged") Station.

The launch had been planned for last Friday https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/science/space-station-mishap-prompts-nasa-postpone-launch-boeing-starliner-2021-07-29, but was postponed by NASA after the space station was briefly thrown out of control with seven [crew members](https://www.financedigest.com/former-astronaut-cunningham-member-of-first-crewed-apollo-flight-dies-at-age-90.html "Former astronaut Cunningham, member of first crewed Apollo flight, dies at age 90") aboard, a mishap caused by the inadvertent reignition of jet thrusters on a newly docked Russian service module. Russia’s space agency blamed a software glitch.

Tuesday’s planned [uncrewed mission](https://www.financedigest.com/bezos-blue-origin-suffers-rocket-failure-during-uncrewed-mission.html "Bezos’ Blue Origin suffers rocket failure during uncrewed mission") was intended as a precursor to crewed flight potentially to be conducted before the end of the year. It was the latest setback for a U.S. aerospace giant reeling from back-to-back crises – a pandemic that crushed demand for new jetliners and a safety scandal caused by two fatal 737 MAX [crashes – that have damaged Boeing’s finances](https://www.financedigest.com/g20-watchdog-homes-in-on-decentralised-finance-after-ftx-crash.html "G20 watchdog homes in on decentralised finance after FTX crash") and engineering reputation.

Boeing and [NASA teams](https://www.financedigest.com/orvium-the-decentralized-platform-for-scholarly-publication-counts-cern-nasa-amazon-and-oracle-experts-in-senior-team.html "Orvium, The Decentralized Platform For Scholarly Publication, Counts CERN, NASA, Amazon and Oracle Experts in Senior Team") were assessing the situation, Boeing said.

United [Launch Alliance](https://www.financedigest.com/business-consortium-announce-launch-ofsme-cyber-alliance.html "Business Consortium Announce Launch OfSme Cyber Alliance  "), a tie up between Boeing and Lockheed Martin Corp, was removing propellant from the Atlas V rocket, NASA said in a statement. Pending resolution of the forward work, our [next available launch](https://www.financedigest.com/fime-launches-the-next-generationof-its-emv-level-3-test-platform.html "FIME launches the next generationof its EMV Level 3 test platform") opportunity would be 12:57 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, Aug. 4,” NASA added.

The Starliner capsule headlined Boeing’s efforts against billionaire entrepreneur [Elon Musk’s](https://www.financedigest.com/elon-musk-and-others-urge-ai-pause-citing-risks-to-society.html "Elon Musk and others urge AI pause, citing ‘risks to society’") SpaceX to be the first to return NASA astronauts to the space station from U.S. soil in nearly a decade.

But a series of software glitches during the December 2019 debut launch resulted in its failure to dock at the orbital laboratory outpost. SpaceX’s Crew Dragon has gone on to launch three crewed [space station](https://www.financedigest.com/green-initiatives-cut-self-storage-business-space-stations-energy-costs-by-75.html "Green initiatives cut self-storage business Space Station’s energy costs by 75%") missions since 2020, with a fourth scheduled as early as Oct. 31, according to NASA.

Boeing has [spent a year](https://www.financedigest.com/most-uk-smes-spent-600-hours-over-the-last-year-preparing-for-new-gdpr-legislation.html "Most UK SMEs spent 600 hours over the last year preparing for new GDPR legislation") and a half correcting issues flagged during NASA reviews, part of the U.S. space agency’s strategy to ensure [access to the sprawling international](https://www.financedigest.com/auditors-could-have-unfettered-access-to-internal-business-processes-to-avoid-another-carillion.html "Auditors could have unfettered access to internal business processes to avoid another Carillion") research satellite some 250 miles (400 km) above Earth.

NASA in 2014 [awarded contracts](https://www.financedigest.com/keysource-awarded-major-contract-to-design-nationwide-network-of-data-centres-throughout-china.html "KEYSOURCE AWARDED MAJOR CONTRACT TO DESIGN  NATIONWIDE NETWORK OF DATA CENTRES THROUGHOUT CHINA") to Boeing and SpaceX to build their own capsules that could fly American astronauts to the space station in an effort to wean the United States off its dependence on Russia’s Soyuz vehicles for rides to space following the end of NASA’s space shuttle program in 2011.

If Boeing stages a [successful launch](https://www.financedigest.com/ferry-industry-celebrates-fifth-successive-year-of-growth-for-car-travel-by-sea-and-four-new-ships-launching-in-next-twelve-months.html "Ferry industry celebrates fifth successive year of growth for car travel by sea And four new ships launching in next twelve months"), it aims to attempt the follow-on mission with crew onboard no earlier than December, it has said.

(Reporting by Eric M. Johnson; Editing by Will Dunham)


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