Boeing Starliner’s Next Chapter
As far as modern spaceflight news goes, the Boeing Starliner’s story has been a dramatic roller coaster. Built by one of America’s most storied aerospace companies, the CST-100 was designed to ferry astronauts to and from the International Space Station, but instead became a cautionary tale about schedule pressure. Now, as Boeing prepares to launch Starliner again in the spring of 2026, the program intends to make this a story with some redemption.
The Starliner was supposed to be NASA’s second ride to the space station, complementing SpaceX’s Crew Dragon under the Commercial Crew Program. NASA awarded Boeing a $4.2 billion contract in 2014, and expectations were high. But from the beginning, things didn’t go as planned.
The first uncrewed orbital flight test in December 2019 never reached the ISS. A software error caused the spacecraft to burn through fuel in the wrong orbit, and mission controllers had to bring it home early without completing its primary objective. A second uncrewed test in 2022 went more smoothly. The craft successfully docked with the station and met its flight objectives.
Then came the Crew Flight Test in June 2024… The mission was supposed to prove Starliner could safely carry astronauts. NASA veterans Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams launched expecting a roughly eight-day stay aboard the station.
Shortly after launch, the spacecraft experienced multiple helium leaks and thruster failures in its propulsion system. Five of its 28 reaction control thrusters shut down as it approached the ISS, leaving Wilmore struggling to maintain control of the capsule during docking.
After weeks of analysis on the ground, NASA made the difficult call that Starliner would return to Earth empty. Wilmore and Williams stayed aboard the station, and their week-long visit infamously stretched to 286 days. They eventually came home aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon in March 2025.
In February 2026, NASA released the findings of an independent investigation into the Crew Flight Test. Administrator Jared Isaacman formally classified the mission as a Type A mishap (the agency’s most severe failure category, the same designation applied to the Challenger and Columbia shuttle disasters).
The investigation identified three root causes. First, NASA’s oversight of Boeing had been too hands-off, leaving the agency without sufficient technical knowledge to confidently certify a human-rated spacecraft. Second, Boeing’s propulsion design allowed hardware to operate outside its qualified limits. Third, and perhaps most troublingly, organizational and cultural failures at both NASA and Boeing created an environment where schedule and programmatic goals overshadowed safety.
Isaacman called the failures in decision-making and leadership the most troubling finding of the entire investigation. NASA Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya echoed the gravity of the situation and acknowledged that the agency had failed the astronauts it sent into harm’s way. The investigation panel issued 61 formal recommendations spanning technical, organizational, and cultural domains, all of which must be addressed before crew ever flies on Starliner again.
One detail that drew particular scrutiny was NASA’s initial reluctance to classify the mission as a mishap at all. According to the investigation, concern for the program’s reputation influenced that decision. Isaacman made clear that this kind of thinking has no place in human spaceflight, and that the agency is now correcting the record.
Despite the harsh findings, Starliner’s story isn’t over. NASA and Boeing modified their Commercial Crew contract in late 2025, reducing the number of guaranteed missions from six to four, with two additional flights available as options. The next mission (Starliner-1) is targeted for no earlier than April 2026. Critically, it will fly without crew.
Instead of carrying astronauts, Starliner-1 will deliver cargo to the ISS while validating system upgrades that Boeing has implemented since the Crew Flight Test. This is, of course, a pragmatic, safety-first approach that NASA's own Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel has endorsed as the logical path forward given the unresolved propulsion issues.
If Starliner-1 succeeds, it opens the door for up to three crewed rotation missions to the station, potentially beginning as early as late 2026.
Boeing, for its part, says it has made substantial progress on corrective actions and driven significant cultural changes across the Starliner team. The company remains committed to NASA’s vision of having two independent providers capable of transporting crew to orbit.
NASA’s Commercial Crew Program was designed to foster competition and innovation by contracting with private companies rather than building vehicles in-house. SpaceX has thrived under this model, with Crew Dragon now routinely ferrying astronauts on its 12th operational rotation mission.
Boeing’s road has been far rockier, but redundancy matters. Relying on a single provider for crew transportation to the ISS creates risk. If Crew Dragon is ever grounded, for instance, there’s no American backup. That’s why NASA continues to invest in Starliner even after everything that’s happened. The goal has always been two reliable systems, and achieving that goal as it stands requires getting Starliner right.
This spring is pivotal for Boeing’s space ambitions. When Starliner-1 lifts off atop a ULA Atlas V from Cape Canaveral, it will determine the future of the entire program. A clean mission would go a long way toward rebuilding confidence. Another failure could spell the end.
At The Space Store, it’s a story we’ve been following closely. The lessons learned from Starliner’s struggles will shape how NASA and its commercial partners approach human spaceflight for decades to come.
Stay tuned for more updates as we get closer to the launch window.
-Written by Matt Herr