Boeing's First Launch: Boeing launched astronauts for the first time on Wednesday, finally joining SpaceX as NASA's second transportation service.
Sunita Williams, an Indian-origin NASA pilot, and fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore took off from Cape Canaveral in the Starliner spacecraft, beginning a 25-hour journey to the orbiting lab. On Thursday, the Boeing Starliner spaceship docked successfully with the International Space Station (ISS).
Sunita Williams, appearing overjoyed at the landing, performs a little victory dance before hugging her colleagues as she exits the capsule.
Williams made history as she became the first woman to fly a spacecraft on its inaugural trip. This was her third mission to space, having completed two prior space shuttle flights totalling 322 days in orbit.
Viral | Indian-origin astronaut #SunitaWilliams dances after reaching space station pic.twitter.com/bW3NodyqEc— The Times Of India (@timesofindia) June 7, 2024
Boeing's Previous Attempts
The Starliner program has faced several safety scares and delays. The last attempt, on Saturday, had to be aborted with less than four minutes left of the countdown due to a faulty power supply connected to the computer. Previously, on May 6th, a buzzy valve on the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket had halted the launch. However, these failures did not discourage the team, as both Williams and Wilmore repeatedly said that they had full faith in Boeing’s ability to get it right.
A successful mission has given Boeing a much-needed break from the safety concerns surrounding its passenger jets. SpaceX's founder and CEO congratulated Boeing on the successful launch of the Starliner Craft.
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Both Boeing and SpaceX received funding from NASA's Commercial Crew program in 2014 to transport astronauts to the ISS after the retirement of the Space Shuttle Program in 2011. Boeing received over $4 billion in US federal funds to develop the Starliner, while SpaceX received about $2.6 billion.
This groundbreaking mission represents a significant step in humanity's journey into space. It has also been instrumental in solidifying Sunita Williams' legacy as one of the most accomplished women in the history of space exploration.
Inputs: Agencies
Image Source: Multiple agencies
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