NASA and Boeing have once again delayed the launch of the Boeing Starliner crew capsule, this time indefinitely, citing the need for further work.
This postponement follows several previous delays this month and comes a week after the Starliner mission teams reported a minor helium leak in the spacecraft's service module.
NASA announced that its teams are now aiming for a potential launch window at 12:25 PM EDT on Saturday, June 1, with additional opportunities on Sunday, June 2, Wednesday, June 5, and Thursday, June 6.
The helium leak has been traced to a component in one of the thrusters of the Reaction Control System, where helium is used to facilitate thruster firing.
In a statement, NASA explained that the team has held consecutive day-long meetings to assess flight readiness, system performance, and redundancy.
There is still work ahead, and the next potential launch window remains under discussion, according to NASA.
Just days earlier, NASA had announced an intended launch no later than May 25, noting that the additional time would allow specialists to thoroughly evaluate the issue.
Beyond the helium leak, there had been a previous technical issue related to the rocket that will carry the capsule, contributing to earlier delays.
The Starliner program is significantly behind schedule and over budget by more than $1.5 billion.
Boeing has been developing the Starliner for over a decade to provide NASA with a second American spacecraft capable of transporting astronauts to and from the International Space Station (ISS).
In contrast, SpaceX successfully launched its first crewed mission to space in 2020 using its Crew Dragon capsule, developed under the same NASA program.
The upcoming mission, known as the Crewed Flight Test, is the final test before Starliner can receive NASA certification for routine missions to the ISS.
Boeing completed an uncrewed test flight of the Starliner to the ISS in 2022 after overcoming years of technical and managerial challenges.
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