Boeing's Starliner flight delayed again for oxygen tank valve replacement

May 8 (UPI) -- Boeing's Starliner crew flight test has been pushed back another week as United Launch Alliance plans to replace a part of the spacecraft.

The test launch is now set for 6:16 p.m. EDT from Cape Canaveral Space Station Florida on May 17, a week later than the date set earlier this week after the initial launch was scrubbed due to concerns about an oxygen relief valve, NASA said Tuesday.

ULA will replace the valve when the rocket is moved back to its Vertical Integration facility at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Wednesday.

"Following a thorough data review completed on Tuesday, ULA decided to replace a pressure regulation valve on the liquid oxygen tank on the Atlas V rocket's Centaur upper stage," NASA said.

When the valve is replaced Wednesday NASA said the ULA team will do leak checks and "functional checkouts" to support the next launch attempt.

NASA had, earlier Tuesday, set the launch for no earlier than Friday at 9 p.m. EDT.

While the valve is being replaced astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will stay in quarantine at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Florida.

They will be the first people to travel on Starliner to the space station as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program.

Boeing's Starliner has been delayed multiple times over safety concerns. A 2019 test mission without a crew failed to reach the space station.

A 2022 test flight, also without a crew onboard, was successful.