"Boeing's Starliner Prepares for Historic Crewed Test Flight"

Boeing's first Starliner spacecraft for astronauts rolled out to its United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in preparation for its International Space Station (ISS) mission no earlier than May 6. The Crew Flight Test (CFT) mission will carry two veteran NASA astronauts, commander Barry "Butch" Wilmore and pilot Suni Williams, and aims to test all major systems with astronauts on board. The rollout was witnessed by several astronauts, including those slated for the first operational six-month ISS mission in 2025. Despite past technical issues, Boeing and NASA emphasize that Starliner is ready to bear crews, and the upcoming mission will be a major checkout of all systems to certify Starliner for longer missions.