NASA and Boeing Postpone Crewed Starliner Missions Following Technical Challenges

Boeing and NASA teams continue their work on the Boeing Crew Flight Test Starliner spacecraft as new plans emerge for future missions.

Boeing and NASA have jointly decided to conduct the next Starliner flight without astronauts, opting instead for a cargo mission to verify the spacecraft's safety protocols.

This decision, announced Monday, follows the challenging experience of the initial Starliner crew mission. Eight months ago, NASA test pilots Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams successfully docked Starliner to the International Space Station, but numerous technical issues with the capsule led NASA to order its unmanned return. Consequently, the astronauts remained aboard the space station for over nine months before returning via a SpaceX vessel.

Since this incident, engineering teams have been thoroughly investigating the thruster malfunctions and other technical problems that affected the Starliner capsule. The upcoming cargo mission to the space station is tentatively scheduled for April, pending comprehensive testing and certification procedures.

Boeing released a statement reaffirming its dedication to the Starliner program, emphasizing that safety remains their foremost priority throughout operations.

Additionally, NASA has reduced the planned Starliner flights from six to four. Should the cargo mission proceed successfully, the three subsequent Starliner flights will focus on crew rotations before the International Space Station's decommissioning in 2030.

"NASA and Boeing are continuing to rigorously test the Starliner propulsion system in preparation for two potential flights next year," stated Steve Stich, NASA's commercial crew programme manager.

NASA contracted both Boeing and SpaceX in 2014, three years following the final space shuttle mission, to provide astronaut transportation services to and from the orbiting laboratory. Boeing's contract was valued at $4.2 billion, while SpaceX received $2.6 billion.

Elon Musk's SpaceX successfully launched its inaugural astronaut mission for NASA in 2020 and recently completed its twelfth crew launch for the agency this summer.