Boeing's initial crewed mission of its Starliner spacecraft is set to launch on Monday night, marking a significant achievement for the aerospace manufacturer.
The Starliner is scheduled to take off at around 10:30 p.m. on Monday, if the weather allows, with two NASA astronauts on board. The Crew Flight Test will be the first instance of Boeing's aerospace endeavors carrying individuals into space after ten years of development.
Boeing is aiming for the Starliner to transport the astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) and aims to compete with commercial spacecraft offerings from SpaceX, which has been the leading company in private spaceflight for years.
NASA's Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore will be on board for Monday's launch, planning to spend a week at the ISS. The test flight will also involve the astronauts guiding the craft through a series of precise maneuvers to test its capabilities.
A successful mission would be a major achievement for Boeing, which has consistently lagged behind SpaceX since both companies were chosen for commercial spaceflights in 2014. SpaceX has conducted nine crewed missions so far, while Boeing has only completed two unmanned flights.
Boeing was granted over $4 billion in federal funds to develop the Starliner, while SpaceX received about $2.6 billion.
The Starliner will be placed atop the iconic Atlas V rocket, marking the first time a manned flight will use the Atlas V since the Mercury space flights of the 1960s, including John Glenn's famous first orbit in 1962. It will be the 100th launch of the Atlas V system, which has been used for satellite launches since.
The journey to the ISS is expected to take about 26 hours, and the plan is to remain docked there for eight days before returning to the Western U.S. The company has outlined six manned missions for the platform over the next six years, which aligns with the projected end of the ISS' operating lifespan.
