Update: The Atlas V is being rolled back into the facility at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station so the liquid oxygen valve can be replaced. The next opportunity to launch to the space station won’t be for at least another week, May 17th at the earliest.
Two NASA astronauts remain on the ground after a launch attempt Monday night of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft to the International Space Station was scrubbed. An issue with the capsule’s rocket is to blame.
The company said the next launch opportunity from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station will be no earlier than Friday, May 10.
Engineers are investigating a strange sound heard as NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Willmore made their way up the launch tower and to their capsule. Ground crews reported a “chattering” coming from the rocket.
Just as Wilmore and Williams were strapped in for launch, United Launch Alliance called off the attempt due to a valve issue on the upper stage of the Atlas V.
At a press conference Monday night, ULA CEO Tory Bruno explained the valve is used to regulate the pressure in the rocket’s upper stage, called Centaur. In some cases these pressure valves can open and shut rapidly, creating a chattering or buzzing sound. The team is now combing through the data of sensors near the valve to see just how many times the valve moved.
If engineers determine it is within limits, which is about 200,000 full opens and closes, they can quickly turn around and try again. If the valve needs replacing, it could delay the launch further.
“We have spare valves. We know how to do it,” said Bruno. “We've done it before, but it would take several days.”
ULA has experienced this type of valve behavior before and has solved the issue mid-countdown by turning the valve off and then on again. But the company has stricter rules when people are onboard that prohibit valve recycling..
After the scrub was called, NASA astronauts Wilmore and Williams left the capsule and returned safely to their crew quarters at Kennedy Space Center.
“[Monday] was a good dry run for the entire process,” said Boeing’s Mark Nappi. “We'll wait until we understand what the problem is. We'll set the next launch date. We'll restart the clock.”
The valve issue is another hurdle in the long-delayed crewed launch of Boeing’s Starliner. An uncrewed mission to the space station failed due to a software issue. While a 2022 mission was deemed a success, engineers noted issues with valves that controlled the capsule in flight. And last year, a review found tape that covered hundreds of feet of wire was flammable. Those issues were solved, and Boeing was given the green light last month to launch this mission.
NASA is partnering with Boeing and SpaceX to transport astronauts to and from the station. SpaceX launched its first human crew in 2020 and since then has sent eight operational missions to the station.
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