Before the crew capsule's launch, Starliner teams detected a helium leak on the ground but decided not to resolve the issue.
Boeing ’s Starliner spacecraft developed more helium leaks on its way to the International Space Station with a NASA crew on board. Starliner teams identified two new leaks on the spacecraft after it had launched on Wednesday, in addition to a helium leak that was detected prior to liftoff, NASA revealed on X. “Two of the affected helium valves have been closed and the spacecraft remains stable,” the space agency wrote.
Just days before the launch, however, Starliner teams detected a small helium leak in the spacecraft’s service module, prompting them to push the launch to May 21 before it was delayed indefinitely. The spacecraft consists of a reusable crew capsule and an expendable service module. Helium is used in the spacecraft’s thruster systems to allow the thrusters to fire without being combustible or toxic.
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