Sunita Williams' Space Mission Called Off Due To Technical Glitch; NASA Issues Statement

The highly anticipated launch of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, carrying NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, was halted just hours before liftoff.

The mission was called off due to a technical issue with the Atlas V rocket, provided by United Launch Alliance. The setback occurred when a problem was detected with a valve in the Atlas rocket's second stage, leading to the postponement of the launch.

"NASA, Boeing, and United Launch Alliance scrubbed the launch opportunity on Monday, May 6 for the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test to the International Space Station due to a faulty oxygen relief valve observation on the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket Centaur second stage," the space agency said in a statement.

"NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams exited the Starliner spacecraft at Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida and will return to astronaut crew quarters," it added.

This was supposed to be a historic mission for Williams and Wilmore, both seasoned NASA veterans with extensive experience in space. They were set to embark on a journey to the International Space Station (ISS), where they would join the resident crew for approximately a week before returning to Earth.

The Starliner spacecraft was to dock at the ISS after a 26-hour flight, marking a significant milestone in NASA's space exploration efforts. However, the delay has left the future of the mission uncertain, with new launch windows being considered for Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday nights.

Williams received her commission as an Ensign in the United States Navy from the United States Naval Academy in May 1987. Williams was selected as an astronaut by NASA in 1998 and is a veteran of two space missions, Expeditions 14/15 and 32/33. She served as a flight engineer on Expedition 32 and then commander of Expedition 33.

(With PTI inputs)