Yesterday morning around 10 am EDT, United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket rolled out of their Vertical Integration Facility on its way to SLC-41, with Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spacecraft on top. The Atlas V is now at the pad, fueled with 25k Gallons of RP-1 (highly refined kerosene), and ready for launch later today at 6:54pm EDT with weather currently at 70% Favorable.
Boeing's Crew Space Transportation (CST-100) Starliner Spacecraft is a vehicle developed by Boeing under NASA's Commercial Crew Program. This mission, OFT-2, is the second uncrewed test flight to dock with the International Space Station to prove its capabilities of autonomously docking to the ISS and safely returning to Earth. During its first test flight back in December 2019, OFT-1, Starliner failed to rendezvous and dock with the ISS, but successfully returned back to Earth safely after 2 days in space. Unlike SpaceX's Crew Dragon, Starliner lands back on solid ground at one of the 5 landing sites in the Western US.
Pending a successful mission with OFT-2, Boeing's Crewed Flight Test should take place sometime this year.
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