Atlas Rocket Poised to Launch NASA Astronauts into Space for First Time Since Project Mercury in 1960s

Historic launch set Monday night from Brevard at 10:34 p.m., 95 percent chance of good weather

WATCH LIVE ON SPACE COAST DAILY TV

BREVARD COUNTY • CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA — The Boeing Starliner spacecraft is set for a historic and long-awaited astronaut demo launch Monday night at 10:34 p.m. on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. You can watch the launch on Space Coast Daily TV.

Currently, there is a 95% chance of good weather at launch time, according to Brian Cizek, launch weather officer for the 45th Weather Squadron at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

The last time an Atlas rocket launched astronauts into space was during NASA’s Project Mercury, which powered the final ten Mercury program missions, from 1962 to 1963. The Atlas was used as an expendable launch system, with both the Agena and Centaur upper stages, for the Mariner space probes used to explore Mercury, Venus, and Mars from 1962 to1973.

This will be the 100th launch of the Atlas V rocket, which has been a reliable workhorse for the U.S. space program for more than 20 years.

This is also the first mission for the Starliner spacecraft with a crew on board, which includes the veteran duo of NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who will be on a week-long test flight to the International Space Station. Both Wilmore and Williams are retired U.S. Navy captains who have spent time on the ISS.

Williams will be the pilot for flight test. Williams has spent 322 days in space across two missions: Expedition 14/15 in 2006 through 2007, and Expedition 32/33 in 2012. The Massachusetts native also conducted seven spacewalks, totaling 50 hours and 40 minutes.

Before her career began with NASA in 1998, Williams graduated with her bachelor’s degree in Physical Science from the U.S. Naval Academy, before obtaining her master’s degree in Engineering Management from the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne. In total, she has logged more than 3,000 flight hours in over 30 different aircraft.

After launch from Space Launch Complex-41 and separation from ULA’s Atlas V rocket, Starliner will perform an engine burn to place the spacecraft and its crew into orbit for an approximately 24-hour journey to the space station. If all goes as planned, Starliner will dock on Wednesday, May 8, and then return to Earth up to eight days later.

During the flight, the spacecraft and its crew will perform several flight test objectives, supporting the certification ahead of regular rotation missions for Starliner.

The first test is to demonstrate performance of crew equipment from prelaunch through ascent, including suit and seat performance. During approach, rendezvous, and docking with the station, the Starliner team will assess spacecraft thruster performance for manual abort scenarios, conduct communication checkouts, test manual and automated navigation, and evaluate life support systems.

Crew aboard the station will monitor the spacecraft’s approach and the Starliner crew would command any necessary aborts.

The Starliner and crew will land under parachutes and an airbag-assisted landing in the western United States. Potential landing locations include two targets in the vast White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico; Willcox, Arizona; Dugway Proving Ground, Utah. Edwards Air Force Base in California is available as a contingency landing site.

Boeing does have three backup opportunities in which to launch the CFT mission, on May 7, May 10 and May 11.

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