Boeing's Starliner docks to the Space Station

The CST 100 Starliner docked to the International Space Station for the first time on Friday night.

The spacecraft made its first connection with the International Space Station's ISS Harmony module at 8: 28 p.m. EDT.

Boeing said that in addition to ground controllers in Houston, astronauts on the space station monitored Starliner throughout the flight and sometimes commanded the spacecraft to verify control capabilities.

The automated rendezvous went off without a major hitch despite the failure of a couple of thrusters.

On Thursday, the news was available at 8 p.m.

The Boeing Orbital Flight Test 2 OFT 2 is the second uncrewed test flight of a commercial crew spacecraft.

The mission was designed to give Boeing and NASA enough data to certify the spacecraft for long-duration crewed missions to the ISS.

During its first hours in space, Starliner performed a series of system demonstrations that allowed mission managers to verify that the spacecraft was healthy and able to maneuver safely. After docking, the Starliner recharged its batteries using solar arrays on the service module, Boeing said.

While docked, the crew of the station will float inside Starliner, conduct an initial cabin tour and periodically perform system checks while ground controllers evaluate data gathered during its flight.

According to NASA, Starliner's hatch opening is scheduled to begin on Saturday at 11: 45 a.m. EDT.

On May 25th, a passenger will leave the space station, carrying more than 600 pounds of cargo.

That cargo will include Nitrogen Oxygen Recharge System reusable tanks that provide breathable air to station crew members. On a future flight, the tanks will be refurbished and sent back to the ISS.

NASA missions on Starliner will carry as many as four crew members after certification.

The agency wrote that OFT 2 will provide valuable data toward NASA certifying Boeing's crew transportation system for regular flights with astronauts to and from the space station.

Jim Chilton, senior vice president of Boeing Space and Launch, said Starliner has proven to be a safe, autonomous rendezvous and docking capability. We're honored to join a fleet of commercial spacecraft capable of providing transportation services to the space station for NASA. In 2014, both Boeing and SpaceX were awarded NASA contracts to build spacecraft capable of taking crews to the orbiting laboratory, but SpaceX has been the only company to take astronauts up so far.

The Starliner ended up in the wrong orbit the only time it was in space.

The first test flight in 2019 was short-lived by software errors and corroded valves that stopped the capsule from lifting off last summer.