All articles tagged with #starliner
NASA and Boeing plan an uncrewed Starliner test flight in December 2026 or January 2027 to validate propulsion fixes. If successful, a crewed mission could launch by mid-2028, commanded by astronaut Woody Hoburg. NASA is investing an additional $359 million to repair thruster issues and certify the Vulcan Centaur rocket, as SpaceX prepares to retire its Crew Dragon capsule.
NASA and Boeing have outlined a path to return the Starliner spacecraft to crewed service by mid-2028, following a 2024 mission that stranded two astronauts for nine months. The agency will fund an uncrewed test flight in late 2026 or early 2027 to validate thruster upgrades and certify the Vulcan rocket. This move ensures a second U.S. crew transport option as SpaceX prepares to retire its Crew Dragon capsule.
NASA has confirmed it will purchase two additional Starliner flights and provide $359 million to Boeing to fix technical issues and certify the Vulcan rocket. This move secures Boeing as the primary provider of US astronaut transportation to low Earth orbit after SpaceX’s Crew Dragon is expected to retire by 2030. The agency cited the high cost of developing new competitors and the existing investment in Starliner as reasons for continuing the partnership, despite Boeing’s history of delays and technical failures.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced a new roadmap for Boeing’s Starliner, which will attempt an uncrewed test flight no earlier than December 2026. If successful, a crewed mission could occur by mid-2028, commanded by astronaut Woody Hoburg. The agency is investing an additional $359 million to fix thruster issues and certify the new Vulcan Centaur rocket, as SpaceX prepares to retire its Crew Dragon capsule.
NASA is moving to secure Boeing’s Starliner as a primary crewed spacecraft to replace SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, which is scheduled for retirement by 2030. The agency plans to order two additional Starliner missions, fund repairs for its thrusters, and support certification for a new launch vehicle. This shift follows SpaceX’s decision to pivot toward Starship and Starlink, leaving NASA with limited options for human spaceflight in the 2030s.
Boeing says its Starliner is largely fixed after past issues and is coordinating with NASA to set a cargo launch to the ISS, which would pave the way for a potential late-2027 crewed test; a free docking port is needed, NASA has trimmed Starliner missions under a revised contract, and Boeing is weighing options including selling space-unit assets while awaiting port availability.
On Boeing’s earnings call, CEO Kelly Ortberg said Starliner’s propulsion deficiencies are being redesigned and are progressing well. The next mission is a cargo flight to the ISS, with the launch date dependent on NASA port availability; if this goes smoothly, a crewed Starliner mission could follow in late 2027, though Boeing has already booked roughly $2 billion in charges for delays and fixes. Starliner competes with SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, which is currently cheaper and more reliable, and future costs for human spaceflight in the 2030s are likely to rise.
A NASA Inspector General report ties Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner problems to overconfidence in heritage designs, rushed schedules, and limited access to flight-simulation data, warning that certification for ISS crew flights could slip further—Starliner-1 remains unscheduled amid staffing and data-access gaps.
A NASA Inspector General report questions whether Boeing's Starliner will ever receive human-rating certification, noting multiple test flights and a crewed mission were hampered by parachute issues, helium leaks, and propulsion failures, with unrealistic schedules and budget constraints cited as key obstacles as NASA and Boeing weigh next steps before the ISS is decommissioned in 2030.
A NASA inspector general audit warns Boeing’s Starliner will likely not be certified for regular crew flights to the ISS until 2027—roughly a decade after the 2017 target—due to unresolved issues from the 2024 Crew Flight Test (helium leaks, overheating thrusters, parachute anomalies) and scheduling delays. Starliner‑1’s launch timing remains unclear, and NASA will need additional SpaceX Crew Dragon flights to maintain ISS staffing through 2030, raising costs. The IG findings also note questionable payments to Boeing for Starliner‑3 and call for six recommendations to refresh and document the path to human-rating, with NASA and Boeing aiming to complete tasks by year‑end. The ISS retirement remains 2030, with potential extension to 2032.
NASA and Boeing have extended Starliner’s return-to-flight timeline by at least a year while they fix thruster malfunctions and helium leaks; a previous crewed mission in 2024 highlighted safety issues, and while progress is ongoing, no firm uncrewed launch date is set for Starliner-1, with NASA reducing Starliner missions and relying more on SpaceX as the ISS program heads toward 2030 retirement.
NASA safety advisers say Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner won’t fly again for up to a year as teams address propulsion faults, thruster heating, and other issues from the 2024 CFT; Starliner-1’s uncrewed mission has no fixed date, with NASA and Boeing working to close 72 CFT observations and 28 in-flight anomalies. The agencies remain committed to eventual crewed certification, but NASA also plans to add six SpaceX crew flights to cover ISS operations through 2030 due to Boeing delays.
NASA has Boeing's Starliner under review for future operations, potentially enabling a crewless launch to the ISS soon and contributing to a roughly 2% drop in BA shares. The Starliner program aims to be the second vehicle to reach the ISS before its 2030 retirement. Separately, Air Canada is refreshing its fleet’s cabins with 2029 service rollout. Analysts remain bullish on BA, with a Strong Buy consensus (15 Buys, 1 Hold) and an average target of $274.14, about 28% upside, after BA rose ~2.7% over the past year.
NASA plans to add six post-certification missions to SpaceX’s Commercial Crew Contract on a sole-source basis, ordering up to three of the missions when added, to ensure continued crew transport to the ISS as Boeing’s Starliner remains uncertified and schedule delays persist. The extension follows a 2022 modification that added five missions for $1.4 billion and would extend ISS operations through late 2030 with a cadence of about one mission every six months.
NASA is reshuffling its human spaceflight leadership after a critical Starliner report found serious issues in how Boeing’s first crewed Starliner flight was handled. Joel Montalbano will become acting associate administrator for the Space Operations Mission Directorate and Dana Hutcherson will be acting CCP program manager, taking over immediately, with Ken Bowersox retiring March 6 and Steve Stich remaining as an advisor to the Human Landing System. The Starliner Crew Flight Test experienced thruster problems and was reclassified as a Type A mishap, and NASA says leadership accountability is essential to maintain U.S. leadership in low Earth orbit and progress toward Artemis-era goals.