Boeing tries again to launch NASA astronauts for the first time after latest round of repairs

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Boeing geared up again Wednesday for its first astronaut launch, held up for years by safety concerns.

It was the third launch attempt for NASA test pilots Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams in Boeing’s Starliner capsule. Rocket-related trouble thwarted the first two countdowns.

The astronauts will test Starliner’s systems on the way to the International Space Station, where they'll spend at least a week before aiming for a touchdown in the western U.S.

NASA hired Boeing along with SpaceX after the space shuttles retired to transport astronauts to and from the space station. SpaceX has been ferrying astronauts since 2020.