Boeing's Starliner Mission Launches Astronauts on Historic Maiden Voyage

ULA Atlas V Rocket Blasts Off, Carrying Starliner Capsule

Astronauts on Course for International Space Station

Cape Canaveral, Fla. - In a historic milestone, Boeing's Starliner spacecraft has launched two NASA astronauts on its maiden voyage to the International Space Station. The launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket marked the first crewed test flight for the new spacecraft, which is designed to ferry astronauts to and from the orbital outpost.

The launch, which took place on June 1, 2023, propelled the Starliner capsule into orbit and on its way to the space station. The astronauts, Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams, will conduct a six-month stay on the ISS, where they will participate in numerous scientific experiments and maintenance tasks.

The launch is a major milestone for Boeing, which has been working on the Starliner program since 2011. The company plans to use the spacecraft to transport astronauts to and from the ISS as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. This program aims to create a new generation of American launch systems that can safely and efficiently ferry humans to low-Earth orbit.