NASA Says Boeing's Busted Starliner Spacecraft Won't Be Allowed to Carry Astronauts on Next Mission

"In a statement, NASA revealed that it agreed to modify Boeing's existing 2014 Commercial Crew contract to have Starliner carry cargo only for its first operational flight, Starliner-1, which is tentatively scheduled for "no earlier than April 2026." "Following Starliner certification, and a successful Starliner-1 mission, Starliner will fly up to three crew rotations to the International Space Station," NASA's statement reads."

""NASA and Boeing are continuing to rigorously test the Starliner propulsion system in preparation for two potential flights next year," said NASA's Commercial Crew manager Steve Stich in the statement. "This modification allows NASA and Boeing to focus on safely certifying the system in 2026, execute Starliner's first crew rotation when ready, and align our ongoing flight planning for future Starliner missions based on station's operational needs through 2030.""

"It's a damning development that comes after many years of technical issues and problems-riddled test flights. Boeing's first uncrewed Starliner test flight in late 2019 resulted in the vehicle almost getting lost due to software problems. It never reached the ISS. A second uncrewed test flight in May 2022 didn't fare much better. But despite thruster issues, the capsule managed to dock with the space station."

NASA modified Boeing's 2014 Commercial Crew contract to have Starliner carry cargo only on its first operational mission, Starliner-1, now tentatively scheduled no earlier than April 2026. After certification and a successful Starliner-1, Starliner will be cleared to perform up to three crew rotations to the International Space Station. NASA and Boeing are continuing rigorous propulsion-system testing for two potential flights next year. The modification aims to prioritize safe certification in 2026 and align flight planning with station needs through 2030. Starliner has suffered repeated technical failures across uncrewed and crewed tests, and Boeing has recorded over $2 billion in additional costs.

Read at Futurism