Atlas 5

May 13, 2026

Breaking News

[ May 12, 2026 ] SpaceX targets May 19 for debut of Starship Version 3, Launch Pad 2 Mission Reports
[ May 12, 2026 ] Poor weather causes NASA, SpaceX to scrub launch attempt of 34th Cargo Dragon mission to the space station Falcon 9
[ May 11, 2026 ] SpaceX launches intelligence-gathering satellites for the National Reconnaissance Office Falcon 9
[ May 8, 2026 ] Rescue mission for NASA’s $500 million space telescope passes key testing milestone Mission Reports
[ May 7, 2026 ] Rocket Lab announces five-launch Neutron deal as it continues aiming for late 2026 debut Mission Reports

NASA, Boeing and ULA announce June 1 as new target date for Starliner’s Crew Flight Test

May 23, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The latest launch date was announced late Wednesday evening, following a Tuesday night notice that May 25 was off the table. Liftoff of the Atlas 5 rocket on June 1 is set for 12:25 p.m. EDT (1625 UTC).

Boeing Starliner launch Saturday ruled out as helium leak analysis continues

May 22, 2024 William Harwood

Plans to launch Boeing’s oft-delayed Starliner spacecraft on its first crewed test flight Saturday were put on hold Tuesday night to give managers more time to evaluate a small helium leak in the ship’s propulsion system. A new launch target was not announced.

NASA, Boeing further delay Starliner Crew Flight Test launch amid ongoing helium leak review

May 17, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The shift in launch date is to allow more time to build in redundancy to account for the helium leak. The launch is currently scheduled for no earlier than Saturday, May 25, at 3:09 p.m. EDT (1909 UTC).

Boeing Starliner launch slips to May 21 to verify helium leak fix

May 14, 2024 William Harwood

Launch of a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket carrying Boeing’s Starliner capsule is slipping another four days, from Friday to next Tuesday, to give engineers time to make sure a helium leak in the crew ship’s propulsion system has been resolved, officials said Tuesday.

Atlas 5 valve repair will delay Starliner’s first crewed mission to May 17 at the earliest

May 8, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

United Launch Alliance (ULA) is set to roll its Atlas 5 rocket and the Starliner spacecraft back to the Vertical Integration Facility on Wednesday to begin working on the problematic valve. The new launch date is no earlier than Friday, May 17, at 6:16 p.m. EDT (2016 UTC).

Starliner launch scrubbed by trouble with a valve in the Atlas 5’s Centaur upper stage

May 7, 2024 William Harwood

An Atlas 5 rocket carrying astronauts for the first time was fueled for blastoff Monday night to boost Boeing’s long-delayed Starliner crew ferry ship into orbit for its first piloted test flight. But trouble with a valve in the rocket’s upper stage forced mission managers to order a scrub just two hours before takeoff.

Long-delayed Boeing Starliner ready for first piloted flight to space station

May 6, 2024 William Harwood

Years behind schedule and more than a billion dollars over budget, Boeing’s Starliner capsule is finally poised for its first piloted launch Monday, a critical test flight carrying two veteran astronauts to the International Space Station and in so doing, demonstrate an alternative to SpaceX’s already operational Crew Dragon.