CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION, Fla. — Boeing's first astronaut flight lifted off Wednesday morning from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station after being aborted at the last minute on Saturday due to computer issues.
Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams launched into space to the International Space Station aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, according to NASA's website; the launch happened at 10:52 a.m.
The crew was strapped in Boeing's Starliner capsule on Saturday when the countdown automatically was halted at 3 minutes and 50 seconds by the computer system that controls the final minutes before liftoff. United Launch Alliance CEO Tory Bruno said one of the three redundant computers located near the rocket at the pad was sluggish. All three must work properly to proceed with a launch, he said.
The objective of the spaceflight is to perform hatch opening and closing operations on the spacecraft, configure the spacecraft for its time docked to the station and transfer emergency equipment into the station, according to NASA.
"During its stay, the crew will evaluate the spacecraft, its displays, and cargo transfer systems," NASA said on its website. "Wilmore and Williams will also go inside Starliner, close the hatch, and demonstrate the spacecraft can perform as a "safe haven" in the case one is needed in the future. Wilmore and Williams will live and work alongside the Expedition 71 crew for about a week before boarding Starliner for return to Earth."
