Boeing's Starliner Faces Another Setback: Latest Launch Aborted Last Minute

Boeing's plan to launch its first astronaut flight faced another delay on Saturday. NASA astronauts inside the Starliner capsule experienced an automatic countdown abort just minutes before liftoff due to a computer issue. The launch, which has faced multiple delays over the years, could be attempted again on Sunday.

Boeing's efforts to send its first astronauts into orbit faced another setback on Saturday when the countdown for the Starliner capsule was abruptly halted just minutes before liftoff. The automatic abort came from the computer system managing the final minutes, cutting off the launch at 3 minutes and 50 seconds to spare.

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who were already strapped into the capsule atop the fully-fueled Atlas V rocket at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, had to wait as technicians rushed to assist them out. Within an hour, the hatch was reopened, and the astronauts were safely extracted.

This was the second attempt after a previous launch was delayed in May for leak checks and repairs. While the exact reason for Saturday's abort remains under evaluation, a Sunday launch attempt could be on the cards, depending on the findings.