Boeing launches and lands Starliner capsule for pad abort test in New Mexico

UPDATE: LIFTOFF of Starliner on its pad abort test at 9:15 a.m. ET! The capsule landed shortly after liftoff and all indications point to a successful test.

Watch live as Boeing teams in New Mexico conduct a pad abort test of the Starliner capsule, the company's spacecraft designed to take astronauts back to the International Space Station from U.S. soil

A three-hour window opening at 9 a.m. Eastern time will give teams time to conduct the test at White Sands Missile Range. It's designed to simulate the capsule's abort systems, which would propel astronauts away from the launch pad in the event of an emergency before or during liftoff.

Boeing and SpaceX are both pushing toward returning astronauts to the ISS as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. If successful, this paves the way for Boeing to launch Starliner on an uncrewed test flight to the ISS.

Watch live:

Contact Emre Kelly at aekelly@floridatoday.com or 321-242-3715. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @EmreKelly.