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Starliner launch to ISS postponed indefinitely — company

Several problems in the spacecraft’s propulsion system were identified on Monday
Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft EPA-EFE/NASA/Joel Kowsky
Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft
© EPA-EFE/NASA/Joel Kowsky

NEW YORK, August 4. /TASS/. The launch of Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS), scheduled for Wednesday, has been postponed indefinitely, the company’s press service said.

"Additional time is needed to complete the assessment [of the spacecraft’s readiness for launch] and, as a result, NASA and Boeing are not proceeding with tomorrow’s launch opportunity," the press service said in a statement.

Several problems in the spacecraft’s propulsion system were identified on Monday. Although a number of causes for those glitches have already been ruled out, Boeing specialists want to carry out a full analysis of the issue.

Specialists will power down the spacecraft, and roll the rocket and spacecraft back to the Vertical Integration Facility on Wednesday for further inspection and testing.

The launch of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS), initially scheduled for July 30, was postponed after Russia’s Nauka module thrusters unexpectedly turned on after it docked with the ISS. Later, it was announced that the blastoff will take place on August 3, but hours before the launch the company said it could be postponed until August 4.

The 13-tonne Boeing Starliner can take a crew of seven on an autonomous flight of 60 hours. It was first launched on December 20, 2019, atop an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The spacecraft was supposed to dock with the orbital station on December 22, but, due to technical malfunctions, the docking was cancelled. As a result, the spacecraft returned back to the Earth.