breaking news NASA says Boeing Starliner crewed trip delayed again

The reason for the delay is cited in last-minute tests and technical debates. The mission was previously scheduled for the end of April, but NASA chief of space operations Kathy Lueders said the Starliner mission is now scheduled “as teams assess readiness and complete verification work” of the spacecraft.” She did not provide further details on the reasons for the delay.

NASA Commercial Crew Program Chief Steve Stich said in an interview before the delay that the spacecraft’s certification process had taken “a little longer than expected.”

Finding a new launch date after April will be complicated for Boeing due to heavy traffic on the space station over the next few months and a tight schedule for United Launch Alliance, Starliner’s launch supplier.

Starliner’s first crewed mission will carry Commander Butch Wilmore and Pilot Suni Williams to the International Space Station (ISS) and will be a pivotal moment for Boeing’s space unit. It represents the spacecraft’s final test flight before joining rival SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule as the second NASA-approved ride to orbit.

Boeing is struggling to compete with Elon Musk’s SpaceX in the nascent market for private astronaut flights.

-With contributions from Reuters