Helium leaks reported on board Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft after launch

NASA is monitoring reported helium leaks on board Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft after launching from Florida’s Space Coast.

As of Thursday morning, the two veteran NASA astronauts inside Starliner, Butch Willmore and Suni Williams, are fine and still preparing to dock with the International Space Station around 12:15 p.m.

Starliner launch at 10:52 a.m. Wednesday from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station for its first crewed test flight for the new spacecraft.

Watch: Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft successfully sends NASA astronauts into orbit

Despite a picture-perfect launch, teams discovered helium leaks on board Starliner late Wednesday night.

Officials said they do not believe the astronauts are in danger because helium is not flammable or toxic.

Boeing's Starliner capsule, atop an Atlas V rocket, lifts off from launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41 Wednesday, June 5, 2024, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are headed to the International Space Station. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) — Boeing’s Starliner capsule, atop an Atlas V rocket, lifts off from launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41 Wednesday, June 5, 2024, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are headed to the International Space Station. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

Boeing's Starliner capsule atop an Atlas V rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on a mission to the International Space Station, Wednesday, June 5, 2024, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) — Boeing’s Starliner capsule atop an Atlas V rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on a mission to the International Space Station, Wednesday, June 5, 2024, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Boeing's Starliner capsule, atop an Atlas V rocket, sits on the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41 Friday, May 31, 2024, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will launch aboard the rocket to the International Space Station, scheduled for liftoff on June 1. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) — Boeing’s Starliner capsule, atop an Atlas V rocket, sits on the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41 Friday, May 31, 2024, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will launch aboard the rocket to the International Space Station, scheduled for liftoff on June 1. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, right and Suni Williams wait for liftoff inside the Boeing Starliner capsule at Space Launch Complex 41 Wednesday, June 5, 2024, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The two astronauts are scheduled to liftoff on the Boeing Starliner capsule for a trip to the international space station. (NASA via AP)

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft aboard is seen on the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41 ahead of the NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test, Tuesday, June 4, 2024 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, left, and Suni Williams wave as they leave the operations and checkout building for a trip to launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41 Wednesday, June 5, 2024, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The two astronauts are scheduled to liftoff later today on the Boeing Starliner capsule for a trip to the international space station. . (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) — NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, left, and Suni Williams wave as they leave the operations and checkout building for a trip to launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41 Wednesday, June 5, 2024, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The two astronauts are scheduled to liftoff later today on the Boeing Starliner capsule for a trip to the international space station. . (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

NASA astronauts Suni Williams, left, and Butch Wilmore pose for a photo after leaving the operations and checkout building for a trip to launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41 Wednesday, June 5, 2024, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The two astronauts are scheduled to liftoff later today on the Boeing Starliner capsule for a trip to the international space station. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) — NASA astronauts Suni Williams, left, and Butch Wilmore pose for a photo after leaving the operations and checkout building for a trip to launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41 Wednesday, June 5, 2024, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The two astronauts are scheduled to liftoff later today on the Boeing Starliner capsule for a trip to the international space station. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, left, and Suni Williams waves to photographers after leaving the operations and checkout building for a trip to launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41 Wednesday, June 5, 2024, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The two astronauts are scheduled to liftoff later today on the Boeing Starliner capsule for a trip to the international space station. . (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) — NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, left, and Suni Williams waves to photographers after leaving the operations and checkout building for a trip to launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41 Wednesday, June 5, 2024, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The two astronauts are scheduled to liftoff later today on the Boeing Starliner capsule for a trip to the international space station. . (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

Boeing's Starliner capsule, atop an Atlas V rocket, sits on the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41 Monday, June 3, 2024, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will launch aboard the rocket to the International Space Station, scheduled for liftoff on June 5. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) — Boeing’s Starliner capsule, atop an Atlas V rocket, sits on the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41 Monday, June 3, 2024, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will launch aboard the rocket to the International Space Station, scheduled for liftoff on June 5. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams arrive back at the Launch and Landing Facility at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, ahead of NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test. The first launch attempt on May 6 was scrubbed. As part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program, Wilmore and Williams are the first to launch to the International Space Station aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 at nearby Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

After suit-up and final fit checks, NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams participate in a traditional game of cards inside the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida during a launch attempt on Saturday, June 1, 2024. The crew members are preparing for launch to the International Space Station aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 at nearby Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Liftoff was targeted for 12:25 p.m. EDT but scrubbed for the day.

NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore poses for photos during his arrival back at the Launch and Landing Facility at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, ahead of NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test. The first launch attempt on May 6 was scrubbed. As part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program, Wilmore and fellow crew member Suni Williams are the first to launch to the International Space Station aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 at nearby Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

A Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft is seen aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41 ahead of the NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test, Monday, June 3, 2024 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test is the first launch with astronauts of the Boeing CFT-100 spacecraft and United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program. The flight test, targeted for launch at 10:52 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, June 5, serves as an end-to-end demonstration of Boeing’s crew transportation system and will carry NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to and from the orbiting laboratory.

NASA astronaut Suni Williams poses for photos during her arrival back at the Launch and Landing Facility at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, ahead of NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test. The first launch attempt on May 6 was scrubbed. As part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program, Williams and fellow crew member Butch Wilmore are the first to launch to the International Space Station aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 at nearby Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts Suni Williams and a United Launch Alliance technician stand near the crew access arm at Space Launch Complex-41 at nearby Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Wednesday, June 5, 2024.

NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test astronaut Suni Williams waves ahead of the Boeing Starliner's planned liftoff on Wednesday, June 5, 2024. — NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test astronaut Suni Williams waves ahead of the Boeing Starliner’s planned liftoff on Wednesday, June 5, 2024.

The crew access arm retracts from Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft at Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida ahead of NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test on Wednesday, June 5, 2024.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying a Boeing Starliner spacecraft launches NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test with NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams aboard at 10:52 a.m. ET Wednesday, June 5, 2024, from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

Wilmore and Williams worked overnight to troubleshoot the leaks for flight controllers in Houston.

The #Starliner crew continues to make their way to the @Space_Station and are in a sleep period. Teams have identified three helium leaks on the spacecraft. One of these was previously discussed before flight along with a management plan. The other two are new since the…

— NASA’s Johnson Space Center (@NASA_Johnson) June 6, 2024

The helium is used in Starliner’s propulsion system and helps thrusters maneuver the capsule.

Read: Boeing’s Starliner flight test: Meet the astronauts

The new leaks are in addition to an original leak detected before liftoff.

The spacecraft is also carrying about 800 pounds of cargo to the ISS, including a critical pump for the space station’s water recovery system to replace one that failed.

Watch: Artemis II: NASA report expresses concerns for mission safety

Channel 9 will continue to monitor the Starliner mission and provide updates on Eyewitness News.

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Helium leaks reported on board Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft after launch

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