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Boeing ’s Starliner space vehicle has successfully present two astronaut to the International Space Station , a key milestone in the aerospace giant ’s pursuit to certify the capsule for steady crewed missions .
Starliner safely dock at 10:34 AM Pacific Time . After taking some fourth dimension to equalize pressure between Starliner and the station , the hatch open at around 12:46 postmortem . The astronauts , spaceflight veterans Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams , entered the ISS to cheers and hug from the seven crew members already alongside . This is their third time each chew the fat the station , but the first time any human has done so using a Boeing Starliner condensation .
Boeing and NASA are currently in the heart of what will end up being a roughly 10 - 24-hour interval test mission of the Starliner spacecraft , which has been encrust by numerous delays and proficient return . The two cosmonaut will spend eight days on the ISS before re - boarding Starliner and returning home for a parachute - assisted landing somewhere in the southwest United States .
Though successful , the delegation was not without its problems . The vehicle experienced three helium leaks , one of which was identified before the spacecraft even left Earth , though Boeing say the leaks are not a safety payoff for the crew or the fomite . In addition to those , five of the 28 maneuvering thruster on the spacecraft ’s actuation system of rules failed , though Boeing and NASA were able to bring four of them back online after conducting hot - fire run — fundamentally turning them off and on again . These thrusters are critical , as they make the mo shifts to the space capsule ’s flight as it approaches the station .
The pusher trouble forced the two astronauts to stop Starliner less than 1,000 feet from the ISS and put docking on clutches . They were clear to bob a few minute by and by after trouble-shoot the issue .
“ squeamish to be attached to the enceinte city in the sky , ” Wilmore said to Mission Control . “ It ’s a great lieu to be . ”
Starlinerhatch opening confirmed!The impulse was definitely progress for this epic moment ! But it was worth the delay to see the imposing entrance of@NASA_AstronautsSuni Williams and Butch Wilmore to the@Space_Station . Welcome aboard Starliner crew!!pic.twitter.com/8FQ13B6a4a
Starlinerlaunched aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on Wednesday , mark the first time the capsule has delivered cosmonaut to place . This mission is the critical final footprint before Starliner can be certify for regular cosmonaut transportation missions with NASA . As of right now , SpaceX is the only provider for that service , using its Crew Dragon capsule .