Two astronauts will launch into space on rocket made by Boeing TONIGHT - after ... trends now
NASA is launching a Boeing-made spacecraft to the International Space Station on Monday evening, carrying two astronauts on board for the first time.
The astronauts will spend just over a week testing the Starliner spacecraft which was built to hold up to seven passengers for missions conducted in low-Earth orbit - an altitude of 620 miles or less above the Earth's surface.
This comes as Boeing has undergone scrutiny over numerous aircraft failures and whistleblower complaints alleging the company cut corners when building its 747 Max planes.
The launch will take off at 10:34 p.m. ET from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and live coverage of the liftoff will be on NASA's YouTube page and website.
Two veteran astronauts, Suni Williams (left) and Butch Wilmore (right) will take off for the ISS on Monday night aboard Boeing's Starliner
Boeing's Starliner will take off for the ISS attached to the Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida (pictured)
The Starliner was supposed to liftoff last summer carrying two astronauts, but was delayed due to issues with the parachute and wiring systems. Pictured: Suni Williams (left) and Butch Wilmore (right)
NASA intends to use the Starliner to eventually ferry four astronauts, cargo and scientific instruments to and from the International Space Station (ISS) if Monday's mission is a success.
The astronauts boarding the Starliner are Barry 'Butch' Wilmore and Sunita 'Suni' Williams, who are both former Navy test pilots and have each gone to space twice.
'The first crewed flight of a new spacecraft is an absolutely critical milestone,' NASA Associate Administrator James Free told reporters during a recent flight readiness review, Florida Today reported.
'The lives of our crew members, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, are at stake. We don't take that lightly at all,' he added.
Boeing's previous attempt at a crewed flight in July of last year was pushed to this year while they dealt with problems surrounding the parachute system used to bring the capsule back to
