Boeing to Launch Manned Starliner Without Fixing Helium Gas Leak

Boeing will launch its first manned space mission in June without fixing the small helium gas leak on Starliner spacecraft, officials said on Friday.

Starliner was supposed to finally carry astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to space on May 6, but the mission was postponed hours before discovering the technical issues with the craft.

After that, more issues came to light, including a helium leak in the spacecraft's service module.

However, Boeing and NASA decided to fly to the ISS without replacing the seal on a leaking joint.

NASA's Commercial Crew Program Manager Steve Stich said: "We can handle this particular leak if that leak rate were to grow even up to 100 times," adding: it effects a set of 28 thrusters used to control the spaceship's attitude.

Teams will monitor the leak before launch.