NASAs Boeing Crew Flight Test Key Launch Milestones
In less than four hours, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are set to lift off at 10:34 p.m. EDT aboard Boeing's Starliner spacecraft on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
As part of the agency's Commercial Crew Program, the mission is the first crewed flight for the Starliner spacecraft to the International Space Station.
Here is a look at some key milestones leading up to tonight's launch:
Time Event (All times approximate) 6:26 p.m. Flight crew begins suit-up operations 7:04 p.m. Crew walkout from the Neil A. Armstrong Operations & Checkout Building 7:14 p.m. Crew departs, travels to Space Launch Complex-41 7:39 p.m. Crew arrives at pad, ascends tower, enters white room, and enters Starliner capsule separately 8:57 p.m. Crew inside Starliner capsule complete 9:24 p.m. Hatch closure and leak checks 9:32 p.m. Hatch closure complete 9:44 p.m. Configure White Room for launch 10:09 p.m. Clear for launch check 10:23 p.m. Crew access arm retracts 10:34 p.m. Liftoff! 10:35 p.m. ULA rocket reaches MaxQ 10:40 p.m. Atlas V booster separates 10:48 p.m. Boeing Starliner separates 11:05 p.m. Orbital insertion burn
Starliner will autonomously dock to the station on Wednesday, May 8, and remain at the orbital laboratory for about a week. Although Starliner is designed to dock autonomously, the astronauts aboard the spacecraft will demonstrate manual control processes and capabilities before the spacecraft makes its automated final approach.
Stay tuned for more updates on this blog as the countdown to launch continues.
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