NASA, Boeing Share Update on Commercial Starliner Development Plans

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman described the current era of space exploration as the most significant since Apollo, emphasizing the need for multiple crew transportation options. The agency plans to add two more Starliner flights to the International Space Station, bringing the total to six, while also certifying United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket for future crewed missions. Boeing and NASA have collaborated to resolve technical issues identified during previous Starliner flights, including those from the 2024 Crew Flight Test. The focus remains on ensuring the spacecraft’s safe return to flight and supporting both station operations and future commercial destinations.

NASA intends to begin with an uncrewed Starliner-1 mission to validate improvements and gather flight data before proceeding to crewed flights. The agency’s current schedule targets a crewed Starliner-2 mission by 2028, following completion of testing and certification requirements. The Commercial Crew Program aims to maintain U.S. access to low Earth orbit, supporting the transition to commercial space stations and expanding commercial opportunities. NASA released findings in February from its Program Investigation Team, which identified 61 recommendations to address programmatic and technical issues.

The investigation highlighted problems with Starliner’s service module reaction control thrusters, which operated outside engineering qualifications during the 2024 flight. NASA and Boeing traced the thruster performance issues to a combination of thermal environment factors and design features. Boeing implemented thermal modifications to the service module, which NASA will evaluate during Starliner-1. An additional thruster valve design modification has also been jointly decided to support future crewed flights and spacecraft certification.

The uncrewed Starliner-1 mission is planned for December of this year or January 2027, serving as an engineering evaluation to verify thermal improvements and gather performance data. Following the flight, NASA and Boeing will complete the thruster valve design modification and implement other upgrades, including new crew module thrusters, batteries, and parachute system adjustments. Dana Weigel, NASA’s Low Earth Orbit Program manager, emphasized the mission’s critical role in achieving full system certification and ensuring sustained human presence in low Earth orbit.