Future Uncertain for Boeing’s Starliner as NASA Delays Next Flight to 2026

One Year After Historic Docking, Starliner Faces Delays

Today marks the one-year anniversary of Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft docking with the International Space Station (ISS) to kick off its long-anticipated Crew Flight Test (CFT). Aboard were NASA astronauts Sunita “Suni” Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore. However, a year later, uncertainty looms over the Starliner program as NASA announced that its next flight has been postponed from late 2025 to early 2026 at the earliest.

The agency indicated that this decision was influenced by the need for system certification and the resolution of ongoing technical issues. NASA has reiterated its cautious stance, suggesting they are still evaluating whether the next mission will carry astronauts.

Starliner’s Technical Challenges

In an interview earlier this year, astronaut Williams suggested that executing an uncrewed flight could be a sensible course of action for Starliner’s upcoming mission. "I think that’s the correct path," she remarked, expressing hope that both NASA and Boeing would align with this approach.

The initial crewed mission in June 2024 faced significant challenges, including problematic helium leaks and propulsion anomalies that ultimately forced Starliner to return to Earth without crew. The spacecraft made a landing at New Mexico’s White Sands Space Harbor on September 7.

Plans for Recovery and Certification

Following this uncrewed return, information regarding Starliner’s future steps remained scarce until early March. During briefings for SpaceX Crew-10, Chuck Stich, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program (CCP) manager, indicated that the agency was still collaborating with Boeing on corrective actions needed to bring the spacecraft up to certification standards.

• "We’ll continue to work for certification toward the end of this year, and try to ensure that Starliner is crew capable," Stich stated.
• NASA plans to assess the spacecraft’s fit within the busy fall manifest and potentially determine a timeline for the next flight.

This spring and summer, teams are anticipated to be engaged at the White Sands Test Facility in extensive testing involving the Starliner’s thrusters. This process is crucial for validating thermal models and exploring upgrades to the vehicle’s systems.

Lingering Concerns and Future Crewing

Notably, the Starliner’s service module houses four compartments (referred to as a "doghouse") containing Reaction Control System (RCS) thrusters. The loss of five thrusters during the spacecraft's docking attempt has raised questions about redesign and operational strategies to prevent recurrence of such issues.

Recent remarks from astronaut Wilmore indicate confidence in rectifying these problems, stating his willingness to fly on Starliner again, citing a commitment from both Boeing and NASA. He expressed optimism that all encountered issues would be resolved.

Nevertheless, ambiguity persists regarding the crew lineup for the next mission, Starliner-1. After an initial announcement of crew assignments that included NASA astronauts Scott Tingle and Mike Fincke, alongside Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk, fluctuations in personnel have since emerged.

Shifts in Astronaut Assignments

In March, NASA reassigned both Fincke and Kudryk to the Crew-11 mission in support of ISS activities, leaving the confirmation of the remaining crew for Starliner-1 in question. Professing a careful evaluation of crew assignments based on qualifications and mission needs, an agency spokesperson reaffirmed that NASA would provide updates on astronaut assignments in due course.

Incidents of astronaut reassignment have been apparent since earlier mission announcements in 2018, when the identities of various crew members changed leading up to different launches. The fluidity of these assignments reflects not only individual astronaut availability but also fluctuating operational priorities for NASA and its partners.

Conclusion: The Path Forward

As uncertainty continues with regard to Starliner, the road ahead remains crucially contingent on resolving outstanding technical challenges, finalizing crew assignments, and confirming the timeline for future missions. As NASA and Boeing persist in their collaborative efforts, the future capabilities of the Starliner program will unfold in the evolving landscape of human spaceflight.