NASA has confirmed that the aerospace company Boeing is pushing forward with their new Starliner crew capsule, which aims to ferry astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2020. But before the craft is deemed fit to carry a crew, it still must clear two critical tests.
The first test — the Pad Abort Test — will ensure the craft’s escape system works as expected during an emergency on the launch pad. That test is set to take place on November 4 at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.
The next test — the Orbital Flight Test — is scheduled for December 17, which is when Starliner should venture to the ISS for about a week. There will be no crew aboard Starliner during this test, but it will mark the first time the capsule makes it to orbit and docks with the ISS.
In 2014, as ...
