Elon Musk Wishes 'Best Of Luck' As SpaceX Competitor Boeing Takes Another Swing At Sending Astronauts To Space On Starliner

Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, extended his best wishes to competitor Boeing Co. (NYSE:BA) for the first crewed test flight of their Starliner spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS).

What Happened: Musk took to X on Wednesday to share a live stream of the Starliner’s inaugural manned mission to the ISS. Musk expressed his support for the endeavor.

Musk wrote, “Livestream of the first @BoeingSpace Starliner to @Space_Station. Wishing them best of luck!”

The flight, which had faced multiple delays due to technical issues, was a pivotal moment for Boeing as it aimed to become a key player in the commercial spaceflight sector. The Starliner mission is seen as a crucial step in the company’s partnership with NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

Starliner’s launch also comes a day before Musk’s SpaceX launches its fourth Starship test flight.

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Why It Matters: The Starliner’s journey has been fraught with challenges. Initially scheduled for a May launch, the mission was postponed due to a technical glitch. The issue was not resolved in time, leading to the delay of the much-anticipated flight from NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

Despite a subsequent helium leak in the spacecraft’s propulsion system, NASA confirmed that the mission would proceed. This test flight is critical for Boeing, as it aims to transport NASA astronauts to and from the ISS before commencing regular missions.

After addressing a launch pad equipment issue, the mission was rescheduled for June 5. The successful launch of the Starliner represents a significant achievement for Boeing, marking its entry into the commercial crew spaceflight market alongside competitors like SpaceX.

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Photo via Shutterstock

This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Pooja Rajkumari