55. Boeing's 1st Manned Starliner Takes to the Skies

After years of rumours and mysteries about Boeing's first spaceship, news has finally come in about the CST (or Crew Space Transportation) -100's launch date. It was scheduled for May 21st 2024 but a helium leak pushed it back to May 25th, last month. Now, just over two weeks into the flight, lets explore how it works and its history.

Picture By NASA Johnson on 'Flickr' 'Boeing's Starliner crew ship approaches the space station'

Boeing is most well known for its spectacular Aeroplanes such as the 747, 737 and others. But I bet you never knew it was an Aerospace company as well! The have been making rockets and planes that can go to the edge of space since the 1950s, but they have never actually gone to space. That is, until quite recently in 2015, when the company made a collaboration with NASA. This is the first 'space ready' rocket that they have created so far. They did some unmanned test runs from 2015 to 2019, But right now is the real deal.

Boeing's Crew Space Transportation (CST)-100 Starliner is like the ultimate space ride, and it's teaming up with NASA's Commercial Crew Program to make it happen. This awesome spacecraft is all about taking up to seven people, whether they're astronauts or carrying cargo, on adventures to low-Earth orbit. When it's doing missions for NASA to the International Space Station, it can carry up to four crew members and super important scientific research that can't wait.

What's really cool about the Starliner is that it's built in a totally futuristic way – no welding needed! And get this – it's not a one-time deal. It's reusable up to 10 times! That means it can blast off into space, come back, and then do it all over again, up to 10 times! Plus, it's speedy – it only takes six months to prep it for its next mission.

The Starliner isn't just your regular spacecraft, like where you just strap into your seat and go for the ride – it's practically a high-tech hangout in space! With Wi-Fi on board, astronauts can stay connected to the world below, even when they're millions of miles away from home. Plus, they've got tablets up there for all their space surfing needs. It's like bringing a piece of Earth with them on their cosmic adventures. How rad is that?

After years of anticipation and setbacks, Boeing's CST-100 Starliner finally embarked on its journey into the cosmos. From its humble beginnings as Boeing's first venture into space exploration to its current role as a high-tech transporter for astronauts and crucial cargo, the Starliner represents a significant milestone in aerospace innovation. As it continues to soar through the heavens, bridging the gap between Earth and the stars, it serves as a testament to human ingenuity and our relentless pursuit of knowledge beyond our planet's bounds.

I hope you found this journey into Boeing's CST-100 as fascinating as I did! If you want more space adventures, don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel and give this post a thumbs up.

Until next time, Give Me Space!

Henry