NASA announces new missions for Boeing Starliner spacecraft

NASA announced plans for new missions utilizing Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, following a failed test flight that left astronauts stranded at the International Space Station for months. The Starliner had its final launch in June 2024, transporting US astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore to the ISS for an eight-to-14-day mission. However, issues with the spacecraft's propulsion during orbit rendered it unsuitable for returning the astronauts, leaving them stranded for nine months before they could be safely returned.

Following an assessment of the troubled test flight, NASA cited engineering vulnerabilities as a "Type A" mishap, similar in severity to the Challenger and Columbia space shuttle disasters. Despite these challenges, Boeing and NASA are working to rectify the issues ahead of two upcoming missions involving the Starliner. The first mission is expected to take place no later than December, serving as an uncrewed test to validate recent remediation efforts.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman stated that this mission is crucial for gathering data and implementing remaining changes recommended in the Program Investigation Team report. Subsequently, a crewed Starliner mission is planned for 2028. The success of this mission is particularly vital given that rival SpaceX has indicated plans to cease production of its reusable Crew Dragon capsules, which have been the sole other spacecraft transporting US astronauts to the ISS since 2020.