NASA, Boeing hail Starliner space capsule launch success despite thruster glitch - Space.com

Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is officially on its way to the International Space Station (ISS) after 2.5 years of delays. .

A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Thursday (May 19) at 6:54 p.m.

EDT (2254 GMT), carrying Starliner aloft on an uncrewed mission called Orbital Flight Test 2 (OFT-2).

Success on all of those fronts would likely show that the Boeing spacecraft is ready to carry NASA astronauts to and from the station.

Live updates: Boeing Starliner Orbital Flight Test 2 mission to ISS.

Related: Boeing's Starliner OFT-2 test flight for NASA in amazing photos.

At a post-launch press conference on Thursday night, NASA and Boeing experts were quick to congratulate their various teams for the hard work that led to the successful launch.

The Boeing spacecraft is outfitted with four of these thruster groups on its aft section, referred to in industry nomenclature as "doghouses," which each contain three orbital maneuvering and attitude control (OMAC) thrusters used to perform significant maneuver burns like those that achieve orbital insertion.

— Boeing's 1st Starliner flight test in photos.

— Boeing to launch 2nd test flight of Starliner spacecraft for NASA on May 19!

During the briefing, Stich pointed out that Starliner had performed a second significant burn with the same OMAC thrusters, putting it on course to rendezvous with the International Space Station!

 He has covered everything from rocket launches and NASA's Artemis 1 Space Launch System megarocket to SpaceX astronaut launches for NASA