NASA, Boeing Share Update on Commercial Starliner Development Plans

NASA and Boeing provided an update on the development of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, outlining plans for additional crew missions and certification of a new rocket for low Earth orbit transportation. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman emphasized the "most exciting era of space exploration since Apollo," noting the increasing demand for spacecraft, transfer stages, and landers.

The agency aims to maintain multiple crew transportation options since the Commercial Crew Program's inception. NASA intends to conduct five and six flights using Starliner to the International Space Station, working with Boeing and United Launch Alliance to certify the Vulcan rocket after the Atlas V's final flight. The upcoming uncrewed Starliner-1 mission will validate improvements and gather flight data, with a crewed flight planned for 2028.

NASA's commercial crew efforts are crucial for maintaining U.S. crew transportation capabilities and transitioning to commercial space stations. The investigation into Starliner's first crewed flight identified 61 recommendations to ensure future missions meet high human spaceflight standards. Boeing has addressed service module thruster performance issues through thermal modifications and additional thruster valve design modifications for improved certification and future crewed flights.

The uncrewed Starliner-1 flight is targeted for December or January 2027, serving as an engineering evaluation mission.