Boeing lastly has an opportunity to redeem itself after its first Starliner take a look at flight went awry, and you’ll watch because it occurs. NASA is launching Starliner Orbital Flight Test-2 from Cape Canaveral right now (August third) at 1:20PM Eastern, with a livestream accessible from NASA’s YouTube channel (under) beginning at 12:30PM ET. If profitable, the unoccupied spacecraft will ship over 400lbs of cargo to the International Space Station earlier than returning to Earth with 550lbs of fabric.

Starliner will begin an orbital insertion burn about half-hour after launch. You’ll must be affected person after that, although. The capsule is not anticipated anticipated to dock with the ISS till August 4th at 1:37PM ET, and can contact down within the western US after its “daylong” mission.

The vessel was initially purported to launch on July thirtieth, however was delayed after the brand new Russian ISS module Nauka unintentionally activated and compelled a correction.

Much is determined by a profitable flight. Boeing and NASA will comply with a profitable take a look at with six crew rotation missions. For Boeing, that is additionally about satisfaction. SpaceX beat Boeing to the punch by efficiently launching a crewed capsule in 2020, and is already performing crewed operational flights. The sooner Starliner is cleared to launch with folks aboard, the earlier Boeing can catch up and play a key function within the privatization of spaceflight.

Update: Boeing has announced that the launch will not occur right now in any case, on account of “unexpected valve position indications in the propulsion system.”