NASA scrapped its Boeing Starliner launch Saturday, some three minutes before it was meant to begin.
Saturday was the second attempt at the launch after the May 6 event was postponed just two hours before it was scheduled. The goal is to get the Starliner onto the International Space Station for a one-week stay. Then, it will return to Earth and certify its end-to-end capabilities.
This time, NASA found one of its four computers operating the launch was lagging behind the others. As all four computers are meant to perform the same function — a delay in one signals a problem. Should operators identify the problem soon, another launch could be scheduled for as soon as Sunday, Wednesday, or Thursday. NASA anticipated that its technicians would be able to enter its computer room early Saturday evening to begin their diagnostics.
“We got really close today, and I would say the team did a phenomenal job,” NASA commercial crew program manager Steve Stitch said during a press conference.Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams were on board for what was supposed to be their third spaceflight. Both were evacuated without incident.
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