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Boeing's 1st astronaut flight now set for June after a review of small leak on new capsule

Boeing's Starliner capsule atop an Atlas V rocket stands ready for its upcoming mission at Space Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Sunday, May 5, 2024, in Cape Canaveral, Fla.  (AP Photo/Terry Renna) Boeing's Starliner capsule atop an Atlas V rocket stands ready for its upcoming mission at Space Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Sunday, May 5, 2024, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/Terry Renna)
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -

Boeing is now aiming for its first astronaut launch at the beginning of June, after spending the past few weeks struggling with more problems on the space capsule.

Officials for the company and NASA said Friday that intensive reviews indicate the Starliner capsule can safely fly with two test pilots, despite a small propulsion system leak. The helium leak was discovered following the first launch attempt on May 6 that was scuttled by an unrelated rocket problem that has been fixed.

Engineers suspect a defective seal that, even if the leak worsens, could be managed in flight. Boeing is targeting June 1 for the launch from Florida.

Identification of the leak led to the discovery of a 鈥渄esign vulnerability鈥 in Starliner's propulsion system in the unlikely event of a string of failures, said Steve Stich, NASA's commercial crew program manager. The team has developed workaround methods to get the capsule safely out of orbit at flight's end if such problems arise, he added.

鈥淲e鈥檙e not going to fly until we鈥檙e sure we鈥檙e safe,鈥 NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free told reporters.

Boeing鈥檚 Starliner capsule is already years late in transporting astronauts to the International Space Station for NASA. SpaceX has been launching crews since 2020. NASA wants both companies for backup taxi service.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute鈥檚 Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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