• Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, which is designed to ferry astronauts to and from the International Space Station, had its first crewed mission scrubbed just hours before the scheduled launch. The mission, which was set to carry two NASA astronauts, was postponed due to a problem with the spacecraft's propulsion system.

• The issue was discovered during pre-launch checks, and NASA and Boeing decided to delay the launch to investigate the problem further. The Starliner spacecraft is a critical component of NASA's plan to have multiple providers of crew transportation to the ISS, reducing the agency's reliance on Russia's Soyuz rockets.

• This setback comes after a series of delays and technical issues that have plagued the Starliner program, including a failed uncrewed test flight in 2019. The successful completion of this crewed mission is crucial for Boeing to demonstrate the Starliner's capabilities and regain NASA's confidence in the spacecraft's reliability.