NASA and Boeing are pushing forward with the first astronaut launch of the company’s new Starliner space capsule on June 1, despite an unresolved helium leak that was found after the original May 6 launch was scrubbed due to a different mechanical issue.
NASA and Boeing announced they would proceed with the launch at a press conference on May 31, telling reporters that “We’re really ready to go fly” and contingency plans are in place if the helium leak becomes an issue mid-flight. Boeing delayed the launch for weeks while addressing several safety concerns, including a troublesome oxygen pressure-relief valve, before sending the two-person crew to the International Space Station.
The launch is scheduled for 12:25 p.m. on June 1, with backup launch windows between June 2 and 6 if the crew encounters additional problems.
“Obviously, we had a lot of discussion about the helium leak and also about fault tolerance,” NASA’s International Space Station Manager Dana Weigel told reporters. “I feel like we have a really solid mission plan to go fly this flight.”
The capsule uses helium to pressurize the propulsion system’s fuel lines, which steers it during flight. Boeing’s Vice President and Program Manager of its Commercial Crew Program, Mark Nappi, explained that the helium was likely leaking through a defective rubber seal roughly the size of a shirt button.
“What we suspect is that the seal was somehow either damaged during installation, or there was some debris in there that got caught up and is not allowing the seal to seal properly,” he added.
NASA Commercial Crew Program Manager Steve Stich also reassured reporters that even if the leak had been found after launch, contingency plans would be in place to safely bring the crew back to the ground.
“Besides being a very low probability that we get into this situation, we have very high confidence that the solution we came up with works,” Mr. Nappi said.
Mr. Stitch said the helium initially leaked at a rate of seven pounds per square inch per minute, but this increased to about 70 to 80 pounds per minute. Despite the rate, he said this is roughly 15 cubic inches of volume or the size of a softball.
“In fact, we could handle … a leak that’s 100 times worse than this,” he added.
Mr. Nappi said it’s “really just a matter of safety” when it comes down to deciding when to launch the capsule into space.
“When we looked at this problem, it didn’t come down to making trades. It came down to ... is it safe or not? And it is safe, and that’s why we determined that we could go fly with what we have,” he said.
Another issue the crew resolved involved the capsule’s “urine processor assembly,” which purifies the astronauts’ urine into drinking water in a “closed loop,” Ms. Weigel said. Instead of replacing the system, Boeing and NASA adjusted the cargo inventory to make room for a urine storage bag that weighs more than 100 pounds.
The two astronauts on Starliner’s first crew launch are Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, both retired Navy captains who spent time on the International Space Station several years ago. Both have been in quarantine in preparation for the launch.
While it is Starliner’s first astronaut launch, this is the capsule’s third test launch. The original in 2019 had to be repeated in 2022 after the capsule failed to reach the International Space Station. It experienced significant software issues and would have been destroyed in reentry if not for a last-minute fix.
Starliner is Boeing’s attempt to expand into commercial space travel after NASA retired the space shuttle program in 2011. Boeing initially wanted an exclusive contract with NASA, but the agency opted to split the contract between the aerospace contractor and SpaceX. NASA gave Boeing $4 billion and SpaceX $2.6 billion to develop space capsules.
SpaceX has successfully launched astronaut-led flights in its Dragon space capsules since 2020. Boeing has been trailing its competitor for four years, but it has also faced headaches with its commercial airplane manufacturing since federal regulators discovered fatal flaws with the 737 MAX program.
NASA said the weather on June 1 is 90 percent favorable toward a successful launch.
“We are excited for the launch, and we’re confident. We have every confidence in this mission,” said NASA astronaut Mike Fincke.
