Speaker 1 (00:00):
And our breaking news is out of Kennedy Space Center tonight, the Starliner Crewed launch is a no-go. It was set to lift off at 10:34, but the launch was scrubbed this evening. We’re giving you a live look at that launch pad tonight.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Our Space Coast Bureau Chief Scott Heidler is live for at the Kennedy Space Center. He’s been tracking the pre-launch. So Scott, what forced officials to scrub this much anticipate a launch?
Scott Heidler (00:23):
It was something with an oxygen relief valve. Teams on the pad there didn’t like what they were seeing, so they called the launch off for today.
Speaker 4 (00:32):
Here they come, our CFT crew. Taking their first steps outside for their historic flight test to the International Space Station.
Scott Heidler (00:39):
NASA veteran astronauts, Starliner’s Commander Butch Wilmore and pilot Sonny Williams had suited up in their Boeing pressure suits, exited the operations and checkout building at the Kennedy Space Center and were just about done with the process of strapping into their seats inside Starliner when?
Butch Willmore (00:55):
Yeah, Roger. So the engineering team has evaluated the vehicle is not in a configuration where we can proceed with a flight today. So we’re going to initiate our scrub and recycle operation.
Scott Heidler (01:09):
An issue with an oxygen relief valve in the second stage centaur in the ULA Atlas V rocket. With a test mission there are many factors at play and the process is geared for it, emphasized by NASA administrator Bill Nelson, even before launch day.
Bill Nelson (01:24):
Because it is a test flight, we give extra attention. They’re checking out a lot of the systems, the life support, the manual control, all of those things that you want to be checked out. That’s why we put two test pilots on board.
Scott Heidler (01:46):
So after the call was made, the rocket and ground systems were made safe for the astronauts and crew to leave Launch Complex 41. So no details just yet on what they didn’t like in that data they saw from that oxygen relief valve, nor when they’re going to attempt for another launch. We know that there is a possibility, a window available, tomorrow, but we don’t know if the situation with the valve will be corrected by then. Reporting live at the Kennedy Space Center. Scott Heidler, WESH 2 News.