La nave espacial CST-100 Starliner de Boeing se acopló con éxito al módulo Harmony de la Estación Espacial Internacional por primera vez el 20 de mayo de 2022 a las 8:28 p. m. EDT (5:28 p. m. PDT). Starliner se lanzó en un cohete Atlas V de United Launch Alliance en un vuelo de prueba a la Estación Espacial Internacional a las 6:54 p. m. del jueves 19 de mayo desde el Complejo de Lanzamiento Espacial-41 en la Estación de la Fuerza Espacial de Cabo Cañaveral, Florida.

La nave espacial no tripulada Boeing Starliner se acopló a la Estación Espacial Internacional el 20 de mayo después de un lanzamiento desde la Estación de la Fuerza Aérea de Cabo Cañaveral en Florida el 19 de mayo. de objetivos de prueba antes de partir del complejo el 25 de mayo, donde aterrizará en White Sands Space Harbor, Nuevo México. Este vuelo de prueba es un precursor de un futuro vuelo de prueba tripulado de Starliner. Crédito:[{» attribute=»»>NASA

NASA will host a media teleconference to give an update on Starliner’s progress tonight at approximately 9:30 p.m. Friday, May 20 where it will be streamed live on NASA’s website. Participants include:

• Kathryn Lueders, associate administrator, NASA Space Operations Mission Directorate
• Steve Stich, manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program
• Joel Montalbano, manager, NASA’s International Space Station Program
• Mark Nappi, vice president and program manager, Boeing Commercial Crew Program

Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft approaches the International Space Station on the Orbital Flight Test-2 mission. Credit: NASA TV

Starliner’s hatch opening is scheduled to begin at approximately 11:45 a.m. Saturday, May 21. Coverage of hatch opening will air live on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website.

Saturday, May 21

• 11:30 a.m. – NASA TV hatch opening coverage begins
• 11:45 a.m. – (approximately) Hatch opening and welcoming remarks

Starliner is scheduled to depart the space station Wednesday, May 25, when it will undock and return to Earth, with a desert landing in the western U.S. The spacecraft will return with more than 600 pounds of cargo, including Nitrogen Oxygen Recharge System reusable tanks that provide breathable air to station crew members. The tanks will be refurbished on Earth and sent back to station on a future flight.

Following certification, NASA missions aboard Starliner will carry up to four crew members to the station, enabling the continued expansion of the crew and increasing the amount of science and research that can be performed aboard the orbiting laboratory.

OFT-2 will provide valuable data for NASA certifying Boeing’s crew transportation system for regular flights with astronauts to and from the space station.