USA - June 7, 2024

In a significant milestone for Boeing's space endeavors, the new Starliner capsule successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday, marking a crucial test in proving the spacecraft's readiness for flight and intensifying competition with SpaceX, led by Elon Musk.

Despite encountering challenges earlier in the mission, including the loss of several guidance-control jet thrusters due to a helium propulsion leak, NASA and Boeing assured that the mission remained on track. The CST-100 Starliner, carrying veteran astronauts Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Sunita "Suni" Williams, completed its journey to the ISS after nearly 27 hours following its launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

Named "Calypso" by its crew, the reusable capsule was launched atop an Atlas V rocket provided by Boeing-Lockheed Martin's United Launch Alliance joint venture. After autonomously docking with the ISS while orbiting over the southern Indian Ocean, the spacecraft's final approach and docking process were closely monitored via a NASA webcast, showcasing the successful collaboration between technology and human expertise in space exploration.