After years of delays and, more recently, weeks of setbacks, Boeing is once again ready to launch its first-ever Starliner astronaut mission for NASA on a test flight to the International Space Station on June 5, and if you're hoping to watch the launch online, you'll need to know when to tune in.
But don't fret, space fans. We've got you covered. Currently, Boeing's first Starliner to carry astronauts is set to launch into orbit at 10:52 a.m EDT (1452 GMT) on Wednesday, June 5 atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. The mission will launch NASA astronauts Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Sunita "Suni" Williams on a week-long test flight to the space station, a shakedown cruise Boeing calls its Crew Flight Test, or CFT.
You can follow the mission with our Starliner live updates page and watch the launch live on Wednesday.
If all goes well, Boeing's Starliner will launch the astronauts to the space station, dock the day after launch and return to Earth up to eight days later with a landing in the desert of the southwestern United States (previous uncrewed test flights landed at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico). NASA has picked Boeing's Starliner as one of two astronaut taxis for space station flights — SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft is the other — but this CFT test flight is years overdue, and follows two uncrewed Starliner flights, a failed test flight in December 2019 and a successful one in May 2022.
The flight has been delayed most recently by two different leaks, one of which popped up on the Atlas V during a first launch attempt on May 6, postponing the flight. A helium leak was later found on the Starliner itself.
"We certainly learned a lot more about this system since our first launch attempt on the 6th of May," NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free told reporters in a press conference Friday (May 31). "The teams, as always, continue to work diligently to ensure that when we do launch this test flight, we're ready to conduct it safely."
This week, Boeing and NASA agreed for the second time that Starliner is ready to carry its first astronauts and gave the go ahead for launch, so here's when and how to watch it fly on June 5.
What time is Boeing's CFT Starliner launch?
Currently, Boeing's CFT Starliner is scheduled to launch to the ISS at 10:52 a.m EDT (1452 GMT) on Wednesday, June 5 from Space Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
The U.S. Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron is watching the weather for the upcoming launch and has said there is a 90% chance of favorable weather at launch time. Backup launch opportunities are available on June 6.
Related: Here's what to expect on Boeing Starliner's 1st astronaut test flight
Can I watch Boeing's Starliner astronaut launch?
Yes, you can watch Boeing's CFT Starliner launch and subsequent mission events live in a series of webcasts. On launch day, NASA TV will offer a livestream of the launch starting at 6:45 a.m. EDT (1045 GMT) on YouTube, NASA+ and its social media channels. The webcast will run continuously through liftoff and end just after Starliner enters Earth orbit shortly after the launch. Space.com will simulcast the NASA livestream on this page and you'll be able to watch it on our webcast page. It is expected to run well after the launch time of 10:52 a.m EDT (1452 GMT).
Boeing will host its own Starliner launch livestream, likely using NASA's broadcast, at its Starliner launch website. ULA will also host its own Starliner launch webcast on its own Atlas V mission website.
However, NASA will not end its launch webcasts there. The space agency will hold a press conference at 12:30 p.m. EDT (1430 GMT) on June 5 to discuss the results of Starliner's launch. That press conference will be led by NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free and be livestreamed on NASA TV and NASA's YouTube channel.
Livestream events are also planned for docking and crew arrival a day after launch on June 6, with NASA's coverage scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. EDT (1330 GMT), with docking itself targeted or 12:15 p.m. EDT (1615 GMT). Wilmore and Williams will then open the hatches between Starliner and the ISS at 2 p.m. EDT (1600 GMT) and hold a welcome ceremony on the station shortly after.
NASA will then hold a press conference at 3:30 p.m. EDT (1930 GMT) to discuss the mission.
What if Boeing's Starliner CFT astronaut flight can't launch on June 5?
If Starliner is unable to launch by June 5, Boeing and ULA have targeted a final backup day on June 6 that would call for a liftoff at 10:29 a.m. EDT (1429 GMT).
If Starliner's CFT mission is not able to launch by June 6, Boeing and ULA would have to stand down for at least 10 days in order to replace vital batteries on the spacecraft, Mark Nappi, Boeing's vice president and commercial crew program manager, said.
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