Boeing Space Capsule 'Starliner' Successfully Docks with ISS

Success on the 3rd Attempt... Unmanned Flight Success After 2 Years
2 Astronauts Onboard... 8-Day Stay

American aerospace company Boeing's space capsule 'CST-100 Starliner' successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) during its first crewed test flight, according to major foreign media.

CNN and others reported that the Starliner, carrying veteran NASA astronauts Barry "Butch" Wilmore (61) and Sunita Williams (58), safely docked with the ISS at 1:34 PM local time on the 6th, approximately 402 km above the southern Indian Ocean.

Starliner is preparing to dock with the ISS on the 6th (local time). [Image source=NASA·AP·Yonhap News]

The docking was originally scheduled for 12:15 PM but was delayed by about an hour due to issues with some thrusters.

The Starliner was launched into space aboard an Atlas V rocket from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 10:52 AM the previous day. After two launch cancellations just before liftoff, the third attempt was successful. After reaching orbit, the Starliner began its flight toward the ISS.

Immediately after docking with the ISS, Wilmore radioed the spaceflight control center in Houston, saying, "I'm happy to be connected to the big city in the sky." Upon arrival, Wilmore and Williams met with the seven astronauts already aboard the ISS.

Wilmore and Williams will stay on the ISS for about eight days before returning to Earth. During their stay, they will unload cargo and practice various standard procedures in preparation for future astronauts who will travel to the ISS aboard the Starliner for long-term stays of about six months.

This crewed test flight comes about two years after the Starliner successfully completed an uncrewed flight in May 2022.

The purpose of this flight is to test whether the Starliner can transport astronauts to space and return them safely to Earth as part of NASA's project. It is the final critical step before sending astronauts to the ISS. Foreign media have described the successful docking as a "milestone." Astronauts will also use the Starliner to return to Earth from the ISS, and this phase is another important test element of this flight.

NASA will analyze the flight data to decide whether to regularly use the Starliner for crew transportation between the ISS and Earth. NASA's other commercial partner, SpaceX, has been transporting NASA astronauts using the Crew Dragon since 2020.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.