On Friday, May 20, Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft docked at the International Space Station’s Harmony module for the first time at 8:28 p.m. EDT (5:28 p.m. (PDT).
A day before, On May 19, the spacecraft was launched on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on a flight test at 6:45 pm to the International Space Station from Space Launch Complex-42 at Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
NASA schedules a teleconference to update Starliner’s progress that will be streamed on NASA’s official website. The hatch opening will be done on Saturday and coverage will air live on NASA Television, the NASA app and on the agency’s website.
The departure of the Starliner is scheduled for Wednesday, May 25. It will be undocked and return back on Earth with a desert landing in the western U.S. More than 600 pounds of cargo will be aboard the spacecraft, including reusable Nitrogen Oxygen Recharge System tanks that provide breathable air to station crew members. A future flight will return the refurbished tanks to the space station.
A crew of four members will be aboard Starliner later to increase the amount of science and research that can be performed in the orbiting laboratory.
