Assuming CFT's Starliner and the astronauts return on time in late May, Boeing is ready to jump immediately into the Starliner-1's preparation. "We've already started working those requirements and schedules so that when the vehicle gets back at the end of May, we'll be ready to hit the ground running," Nappi said.

The launch of Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft on its first crewed flight has slipped at least four days because of a helium leak in the spacecraft.

NASA, Boeing, and the United Launch Alliance (ULA) continue preparation for NASA's Boeing Crew Flight Test bound for the International Space Station.

Boeing's new Starliner astronaut capsule was poised for launch on Monday night on a much-delayed first crewed test flight to orbit, as the company scrambles to compete with Elon Musk's SpaceX for a greater share of lucrative NASA business.

"The first crewed flight of a new spacecraft is an absolutely critical milestone," said Jim Free, NASA's associate administrator. "The lives of our crew members, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, are at stake. We don’t take that lightly at all."

NASA and Boeing need more time to make sure a helium leak on its CST-100 Starliner is low enough risk to send humans into space.

When it comes to crewed launches, safety comes first and a helium leak in the module that also contains the launch abort system means it's a no go.

NASA, Boeing, and ULA are preparing for the Boeing Crew Flight Test to the International Space Station, targeting a launch date of May 21. ULA successfully replaced a valve on the Atlas V rocket, while Starliner teams are addressing a helium leak in the service module.

A new date has been announced for the launch of Boeing’s historic Starline spacecraft - after it was delayed again due to a helium leak

Boeing’s long-awaited Starliner spacecraft, designed to transport astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS), has encountered another hurdle delaying its maiden crewed mission. Teams from NASA,