NASA plans Starliner test flight after astronauts got stuck at space station
NASA says it is committed to helping Boeing get its Starliner back in space after multiple upgrades and improvements.
NASA is teaming up with Boeing to launch an unpiloted Starliner capsule sometime between December and January. This test flight aims to evaluate upgrades made following a 2024 mission where propulsion system failures stranded astronauts at the International Space Station for over nine months. If successful, a piloted Starliner flight is expected by mid-2028, featuring redesigned propulsion system valves, more resilient subsystems, and other modifications intended to avert the 2024 issues. Veteran astronaut Warren "Woody" Hoburg will lead the mission.
SpaceX's Crew Dragon remains the sole operational U.S. astronaut ferry at present. However, NASA is eager to reintegrate Boeing into the mix promptly, ensuring a steady U.S. capability to transport astronauts and researchers to the ISS until its planned retirement in 2030. Moreover, NASA aims to guarantee an American spacecraft for supporting commercial space stations in the 2030s, once SpaceX retires its Falcon 9 rockets and Crew Dragon spacecraft.
Dana Weigel, manager of NASA's low-Earth orbit operations, emphasized the importance of certifying Boeing's Starliner for both ISS support and future commercial destinations. Boeing announced plans to implement hardware enhancements and allocate additional resources for human spaceflight certification. The company will replace all 12 crew module maneuvering thrusters, redesign service module thruster poppets, add a faster flight data recorder, and upgrade batteries and parachutes.
The first unpiloted Starliner mission, dubbed Starliner 1, is scheduled for December or January. It will rendezvous with and dock at the space station, where flight controllers will rigorously test the thrusters and their pressurization systems. NASA and Boeing will analyze the mission data, combined with redesign efforts, to inform the final crewed vehicle certification. NASA remains committed to Starliner certification and ensuring commercial crew access to low Earth orbit in the long term.
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