Boeing Starliner crewed mission postponed shortly before launch

The Starliner spaceship's first crewed launch has been called off due to a technical issue. The spaceship had been poised to take astronauts to the International Space Station. Just two hours before scheduled takeoff officials said a safety issue had been identified.

The launch would have marked a significant step for both the American multinational corporation and NASA's commercial outsourcing strategy as Boeing scrambles to compete with Elon Musk's SpaceX for a larger share of lucrative NASA business. Monday's delay comes as Boeing's passenger jet division remains mired in a safety crisis.