After three weeks of analysis and discussion between Boeing, NASA, and United Launch Alliance following the May 8, 2024 scrub, Boeing’s long road to lofting crew aboard Starliner to low-Earth orbit will take a step towards launching. Liftoff of Atlas V and Starliner is scheduled for 12:25 PM EDT, Saturday, June 1st, from Space Launch Complex 41.

On May 22, Steve Stich, manager, NASA Commercial Crew Program said, “There has been a great deal of exceptional analysis and testing over the last two weeks by the joint NASA, Boeing, and ULA teams to replace the Centaur Self Regulating Valve and troubleshoot the Starliner Service Module helium manifold leak.”

He added, “It has been important that we take our time to understand all the complexities of each issue including the redundant capabilities of the Starliner propulsion system and any implications to our Interim Human Rating Certification. We will launch Butch and Suni on this test mission after the entire community has reviewed the teams’ progress and flight rationale at the upcoming Delta Agency Flight Test Readiness Review.”

That Flight Readiness Review was completed today, and all parties agreed that Starliner is “go” for liftoff.

Should weather or technical issues cause a scrub on Saturday, backup launch opportunities are available on Sunday, June 2,  Wednesday, June 5, and Thursday, June 6.

Starliner CFT astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams returned to Kennedy Space Center yesterday, and will be completing their final preparations in anticipation of Saturday’s liftoff while they remain in quarantine at the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building.

According to a NASA press release issued today, “During a Delta-Agency Flight Test Readiness Review Wednesday at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, leaders from NASA, Boeing, and ULA (United Launch Alliance) verified launch readiness, including all systems, facilities, and teams supporting the test flight.”

The first step in the final phases of the launch campaign is to move the Atlas V launch vehicle with Starliner back to the launch pad from ULA’s Vertical Integration Facility, located about 1,800′ south of the pad. The journey is slated to about ninety minutes and is scheduled to start at 10 AM EDT, Thursday, May 30.