What to know about Boeing’s first spaceflight carrying NASA astronauts

By MARCIA DUNN
AP Aerospace Writer

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Boeing has finally launched NASA astronauts to the International Space Station after years of stumbles and delays. It’s the first flight of Boeing’s Starliner capsule with a crew on board. A pair of veteran NASA pilots will check out the spacecraft during the test drive and a weeklong stay at the space station. Liftoff was Wednesday from Cape Canaveral, Florida. NASA turned to U.S. companies for astronaut rides after the space shuttles were retired more than a decade ago. Elon Musk’s SpaceX has made nine taxi trips for NASA, while Boeing has only made a pair of empty test flights.