The Boeing CST-100 Starliner is set to launch a milestone test flight Friday, slated for 6:36 am ET, into space and dock with the International Space Station over the weekend, mimicking the flight path it will take when it flies its first crewed mission next year. Inside the capsule will be a dummy nicknamed Rosie, named after Rosie the Riveter, which will be equipped with various sensors to measure the G-forces astronauts will endure. Read more for two videos and additional information.
Aside from Rosie, there will be some other cargo in the capsule, including holiday presents for the astronauts aboard the International Space Station. If the uncrewed mission launching atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket to the space station and back goes smoothly, this would set the stage for NASA astronaut Nicole Mann and Boeing test pilot Chris Ferguson to fly to the ISS in early 2020 for a follow-up mission.
As flight testers … this is a dream come true. Very rarely does it come where you get a brand new spacecraft to go look at and test,” said NASA astronaut Mike Fincke to reporters at a pre-launch briefing.
