After yesterday’s launch of the primary crewed Starliner mission was scrubbed, NASA, Boeing and ULA made the choice to attend just a few days earlier than making one other try. Starliner was scheduled to lastly elevate off on Saturday afternoon after a sequence of delays, however this try was aborted attributable to a last-minute subject with a floor pc system that performs a key position in launching the rocket. Whereas NASA and companions mentioned presumably flying at the moment following their evaluation of the problem, they’ve determined to carry off till the following alternatives, both on June 5 or 6.
Saturday’s launch wasn’t scrubbed attributable to an issue with the Starliner craft itself, however as a result of an automated maintain was issued by the bottom launch sequencer for a then-unknown purpose. In a press convention in a while Saturday, Tory Bruno, president and CEO of ULA defined that it got here all the way down to an issue in verifying the launch sequencer’s redundancy. There are three giant computer systems on this system, all of that are the identical so it’s “triple redundant,” Bruno stated. Throughout the system well being test within the minutes earlier than launch, one of many computer systems got here up sluggish, triggering an automated maintain.
NASA stated the choice to forgo at the moment’s launch try was made with the intention to “give the workforce further time to evaluate a floor help tools subject.” The launch window opens once more on June 5, however no goal liftoff time has been introduced simply but. If Starliner doesn’t fly by June 6, it’ll be set again by no less than one other 10 days, ArsTechnica reviews, because the ULA workforce might want to swap out the Atlas V rocket’s batteries.