NASA and Boeing have decided to keep astronauts off the troubled Starliner spacecraft for its next mission, opting instead for a cargo-only flight to prove the vehicle’s safety after a series of technical failures that left two test pilots stranded in space for months.
The decision, announced after extensive reviews, pushes the next Starliner launch to no earlier than 2026 — a significant delay for Boeing’s already troubled space program that has struggled to match the success of competitor SpaceX in ferrying astronauts to the International Space Station.
Astronauts Stranded After Mission Gone Wrong
The saga began when NASA test pilots Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams successfully docked Starliner to the ISS earlier this year. But what should have been a brief stay turned into a nine-month orbital extension when the capsule developed so many problems that NASA ordered it to return to Earth empty.
“Spaceflight is risky, even at its safest and most routine. A test flight, by nature, is neither safe, nor routine,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson explained. “The decision to keep Butch and Suni aboard the International Space Station and bring Boeing’s Starliner home uncrewed is the result of our commitment to safety: our core value and our North Star.”
During the mission, Starliner experienced multiple helium leaks and the failure of five out of its 28 reaction control system (RCS) thrusters — critical components for maneuvering in space. Engineers have since been investigating these issues, with particular focus on the “doghouses” — the nickname for compartments housing key propulsion components that experienced multiple failures.
What’s Next for Boeing’s Space Ambitions?
The next cargo mission is now scheduled for no earlier than April 2026, pending additional tests and certification. It’s a crucial test that will determine whether Starliner can eventually carry humans safely to orbit.
NASA has also reduced the planned number of Starliner flights from six to four. If the cargo mission succeeds, only three flights will remain for crew exchanges before the space station is decommissioned in 2030 — a significant scaling back of Boeing’s role in the commercial crew program.
Since the problematic flight, NASA and Boeing teams have completed extensive work, including data review, flight and ground testing, and independent reviews. Components from Starliner’s troubled “doghouses” have been sent to NASA’s White Sands testing facility for further evaluation this summer.
“Starliner is a very capable spacecraft and, ultimately, this comes down to needing a higher level of certainty to perform a crewed return,” NASA stated when explaining the decision to bring the capsule back without astronauts.
The Bigger Picture
The setback is just the latest chapter in Boeing’s troubled space program history. The aerospace giant has faced numerous delays and technical issues with Starliner, while SpaceX’s Crew Dragon has been regularly ferrying astronauts to the ISS since 2020.
NASA and Boeing continue to rigorously test the Starliner propulsion system in preparation for two potential flights next year, according to NASA’s commercial crew program manager. But the timeline remains uncertain.
For Boeing, already reeling from quality control issues with its commercial aircraft division, the Starliner problems represent another blow to its reputation for engineering excellence. And for NASA, it means continued reliance on SpaceX for astronaut transport — at least for the foreseeable future.
As engineers continue their painstaking work to understand what went wrong with Starliner, the space agency finds itself once again balancing the inherent risks of human spaceflight against the practical realities of managing an aging space station with limited transportation options and a fixed retirement date on the horizon.
