Boeing Starliner Sends First Crewed Mission Into Space
The Facts
Boeing sent its first crewed Starliner mission into space on Wednesday in a highly anticipated launch that had been many years in the making. The Starliner capsule took off at 10:52 am ET from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
In a joint mission with NASA and United Launch Alliance (ULA), the CST-100 Starliner went into orbit atop ULA’s Atlas V rocket with two NASA astronauts on board. The capsule successfully separated from the rocket and is flying on its own.
The Spin
Boeing has arrived as a major player in the space industry with the successful launch of its Starliner, and the aerospace titan should be proud of its great milestone. While there were bumps along the way, the Starliner has demonstrated that it can safely send NASA astronauts to the ISS. And it could start launching longer missions by next year. Boeing’s efforts are paying off, and the company is ready to compete with the likes of SpaceX as a leader in space travel.
Regardless of Wednesday’s launch, Boeing has failed in its development of the Starliner. It has taken over a decade for the Starliner to achieve any meaningful progress, and failed attempts have only embarrassed Boeing. If that wasn’t bad enough, Boeing has had several high-profile issues with its airplanes that have diminished public trust in the company. While it may be committed to its space missions, Boeing should focus on the safety of its airplanes instead of wasting time on the Starliner.
