The Boeing Starliner took off for the first time on Wednesday, carrying NASA astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS).

The launch took place today from Cape Canaveral in the US state of Florida, after two launches were canceled on Saturday and in early May.

The Starliner capsule is carried by an Atlas V rocket from aerospace manufacturer United Launch Alliance, a joint venture between Boeing Defense, Space and Security and Lockheed Martin Space, formed in December 2006.

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are aboard the Starliner, which has seen years of setbacks and delays due to technical problems.

Starliner was considered a decade ago as a competitor to Elon Musk's SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, which has been regularly flying NASA astronauts since 2020.

The mission is important to Boeing, as NASA will consider the Starliner spacecraft for future operations, such as delivering astronauts and cargo to/from the International Space Station.

"This Crew Flight Test is intended to certify the spacecraft for routine space travel to and from the SpaceStation," NASA wrote in X.

United Launch Alliance said the Starliner is on track to reach the ISS in 25 hours.

"The names of Wilmore and Williams now join (John) Glenn, (Scott) Carpenter, (Wally) Schirra and (Gordon) Cooper as American astronauts to launch into space on Atlas rockets."

Glenn, Carpenter, Schirra and Cooper were four Mercury Seven astronauts on Atlas rockets during NASA's Project Mercury - the first US human spaceflight program from 1958-1963. /AA