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Boeing Crew Flight Test
Boeing Crew Flight Test (Boe-CFT) was the first crewed mission of the Boeing Starliner capsule. Launched on June 5, 2024, the mission flew a crew of two NASA astronauts, Barry E. Wilmore and Sunita Williams, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station to the International Space Station. The mission was meant to last eight days, ending on June 14 with a landing in the American Southwest. However, Starliner's thrusters malfunctioned as it approached the ISS. After more than two months of investigation, NASA decided it was too risky to return Wilmore and Williams to Earth aboard Starliner. Instead, the Boeing spacecraft returned uncrewed on September 7, 2024, and successfully landed at the White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico. The astronauts rode down aboard SpaceX Crew-9 on March 18, 2025.
Originally scheduled for launch in 2017, Boe-CFT experienced numerous delays. The spacecraft's two preceding uncrewed orbital flight tests, Boe‐OFT and Boe‐OFT‐2, were conducted in 2019 and 2022 respectively.
Starliner was placed atop the Atlas V launch vehicle on April 16, 2024, but the mission's launch was repeatedly postponed by technical problems. An oxygen valve problem on United Launch Alliance's (ULA) Atlas V rocket scrubbed the first launch attempt on May 7. A second launch attempt on June 1 was scrubbed when a ground computer failed. Subsequent delays were caused by helium leaks in the Starliner's service module; helium leaks would continue to be a problem throughout the mission. The third launch attempt on June 5 at 14:52:15 UTC (10:52:15 am EDT local time at the launch site) was successful.
The first uncrewed test, Boe‐OFT, originally planned for 2017, was delayed by development problems. It launched in 2019, but software errors prevented Starliner from reaching the ISS during that flight, precipitating delays to subsequent flights. Boe‐OFT‐2, the second uncrewed test flight attempt, was scrubbed in 2021 by valve problems. It finally flew in 2022 and met all flight objectives. In August 2023, Boeing announced that the third flight—the first crewed one—would be delayed at least to March 2024 due to weakness in certain joints within the parachute system and potentially combustible materials in the wiring harnesses. Boeing underwent multiple investigations before another flight test would be permitted.
Boe-CFT was the second mission for the Starliner Calypso capsule. NASA announced that Boeing prepared to reassemble the vehicle for flight, following multiple checkouts, for the CFT mission in August 2020, and that new parachutes and airbags would be fitted. The Boe-CFT capsule's docking system was modified to accommodate the new re-entry cover, which debuted on the Boe-OFT‐2 test flight.
Because of the delays, crew assignments were changed several times after the initial assignments in 2018. Nicole Mann was initially assigned to this mission, which would have made her the first woman to fly on the maiden crewed flight of an orbital spacecraft, but she was subsequently re-assigned to the SpaceX Crew-5 mission, becoming the first female commander of a NASA Commercial Crew Program launch. For medical reasons, Eric Boe, who was originally assigned to the mission in August 2018 as the pilot, was replaced by Michael Fincke on January 22, 2019. Boeing astronaut Chris Ferguson was originally assigned to the flight as commander, but he was replaced by NASA astronaut Barry E. Wilmore on October 7, 2020. Ferguson cited family reasons for the replacement. Matthew Dominick replaced him on the backup crew.
On April 18, 2022, NASA said that it had not finalized which of the cadre of Starliner astronauts, including Barry E. Wilmore, Michael Fincke, and Sunita Williams, would fly on this mission or the first operational Starliner mission. On June 16, 2022, NASA confirmed that this CFT (Crewed Flight Test) mission would be a two-person flight test crewed by Wilmore and Williams; Fincke trained as the backup spacecraft test pilot and remains eligible for assignment to a future mission. Williams is the first woman to fly on a maiden crewed flight of an orbital spacecraft.
The third launch of the Atlas V N22 variant launched Starliner with a crew of two. The vehicle docked with the International Space Station and was supposed to return to Earth for a ground landing in the southwestern United States. Originally intended as an eight-day mission, Starliner encountered problems with the propulsion system prior to docking with ISS. The mission was extended several times to allow for analysis, and NASA eventually decided to leave the crew aboard ISS and return Starliner to Earth without the crew after three months in space. The crew returned on SpaceX Crew-9.
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Boeing Crew Flight Test
Boeing Crew Flight Test (Boe-CFT) was the first crewed mission of the Boeing Starliner capsule. Launched on June 5, 2024, the mission flew a crew of two NASA astronauts, Barry E. Wilmore and Sunita Williams, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station to the International Space Station. The mission was meant to last eight days, ending on June 14 with a landing in the American Southwest. However, Starliner's thrusters malfunctioned as it approached the ISS. After more than two months of investigation, NASA decided it was too risky to return Wilmore and Williams to Earth aboard Starliner. Instead, the Boeing spacecraft returned uncrewed on September 7, 2024, and successfully landed at the White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico. The astronauts rode down aboard SpaceX Crew-9 on March 18, 2025.
Originally scheduled for launch in 2017, Boe-CFT experienced numerous delays. The spacecraft's two preceding uncrewed orbital flight tests, Boe‐OFT and Boe‐OFT‐2, were conducted in 2019 and 2022 respectively.
Starliner was placed atop the Atlas V launch vehicle on April 16, 2024, but the mission's launch was repeatedly postponed by technical problems. An oxygen valve problem on United Launch Alliance's (ULA) Atlas V rocket scrubbed the first launch attempt on May 7. A second launch attempt on June 1 was scrubbed when a ground computer failed. Subsequent delays were caused by helium leaks in the Starliner's service module; helium leaks would continue to be a problem throughout the mission. The third launch attempt on June 5 at 14:52:15 UTC (10:52:15 am EDT local time at the launch site) was successful.
The first uncrewed test, Boe‐OFT, originally planned for 2017, was delayed by development problems. It launched in 2019, but software errors prevented Starliner from reaching the ISS during that flight, precipitating delays to subsequent flights. Boe‐OFT‐2, the second uncrewed test flight attempt, was scrubbed in 2021 by valve problems. It finally flew in 2022 and met all flight objectives. In August 2023, Boeing announced that the third flight—the first crewed one—would be delayed at least to March 2024 due to weakness in certain joints within the parachute system and potentially combustible materials in the wiring harnesses. Boeing underwent multiple investigations before another flight test would be permitted.
Boe-CFT was the second mission for the Starliner Calypso capsule. NASA announced that Boeing prepared to reassemble the vehicle for flight, following multiple checkouts, for the CFT mission in August 2020, and that new parachutes and airbags would be fitted. The Boe-CFT capsule's docking system was modified to accommodate the new re-entry cover, which debuted on the Boe-OFT‐2 test flight.
Because of the delays, crew assignments were changed several times after the initial assignments in 2018. Nicole Mann was initially assigned to this mission, which would have made her the first woman to fly on the maiden crewed flight of an orbital spacecraft, but she was subsequently re-assigned to the SpaceX Crew-5 mission, becoming the first female commander of a NASA Commercial Crew Program launch. For medical reasons, Eric Boe, who was originally assigned to the mission in August 2018 as the pilot, was replaced by Michael Fincke on January 22, 2019. Boeing astronaut Chris Ferguson was originally assigned to the flight as commander, but he was replaced by NASA astronaut Barry E. Wilmore on October 7, 2020. Ferguson cited family reasons for the replacement. Matthew Dominick replaced him on the backup crew.
On April 18, 2022, NASA said that it had not finalized which of the cadre of Starliner astronauts, including Barry E. Wilmore, Michael Fincke, and Sunita Williams, would fly on this mission or the first operational Starliner mission. On June 16, 2022, NASA confirmed that this CFT (Crewed Flight Test) mission would be a two-person flight test crewed by Wilmore and Williams; Fincke trained as the backup spacecraft test pilot and remains eligible for assignment to a future mission. Williams is the first woman to fly on a maiden crewed flight of an orbital spacecraft.
The third launch of the Atlas V N22 variant launched Starliner with a crew of two. The vehicle docked with the International Space Station and was supposed to return to Earth for a ground landing in the southwestern United States. Originally intended as an eight-day mission, Starliner encountered problems with the propulsion system prior to docking with ISS. The mission was extended several times to allow for analysis, and NASA eventually decided to leave the crew aboard ISS and return Starliner to Earth without the crew after three months in space. The crew returned on SpaceX Crew-9.