The US Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft launched to the International Space Station (ISS) in its uncrewed configuration was inserted in orbit in an off-nominal mode, Boeing announced on its Twitter on Friday.
“Starliner has an off-nominal insertion, but we have spacecraft control. The guidance and control team is assessing their next maneuver,” Boeing said.
Starliner has an off-nominal insertion, but we have spacecraft control. The guidance and control team is assessing their next maneuver.
— Boeing Space (@BoeingSpace) December 20, 2019
NASA Chief James Bridenstine said that the Starliner was “in a stable orbit.” According to Bridenstine, “the Starliner capsule itself missed a planned engine burn to put it in its target orbit en route to the ISS.”
The new US spacecraft Starliner developed by Boeing was launched for the first time in its uncrewed version to the orbital outpost on Friday. The spacecraft lifted off from the US Air Force station on Cape Canaveral in Florida atop an Atlas V carrier rocket.
The Starliner spacecraft is intended to eventually carry NASA astronauts to the International Space Station.
