NASA and Boeing announced plans to add two crew missions and certify the Vulcan rocket for low Earth orbit transportation. Following previous thruster challenges, the uncrewed Starliner-1 mission is slated to launch in December of this year or January 2027, paving the way for a crewed return on Starliner-2 by 2028.
NASA and Boeing Chart the Next Phase of Starliner Flights
NASA and Boeing provided a comprehensive update on the Starliner spacecraft program, outlining plans to expand future crew missions to and from the International Space Station. Speaking on the broader landscape, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman emphasized the agency’s commitment to maintaining multiple human spaceflight options. We are living through the most exciting era of space exploration since Apollo,
said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman.
The updated roadmap expands the vehicle’s flight manifest. The agency intends to exercise options for a fifth and sixth mission, ensuring sustained access to low Earth orbit as operations evolve.
Technical Fixes and the Uncrewed Starliner-1 Timeline
The path forward follows an extensive technical review. The programmatic and technical factors that led to Starliner flying back uncrewed during its inaugural crewed voyage in 2024 were detailed in a report published by NASA’s Program Investigation Team in February. Altogether, the inquiry produced 61 recommendations for NASA aimed at guaranteeing future missions meet the stringent criteria demanded for human spaceflight. Investigators identified that service module reaction control thrusters operated outside their engineering qualification limits due to thermal environments and design characteristics.
To resolve these vulnerabilities, Boeing implemented thermal modifications on the service module for upcoming flights. The uncrewed Starliner-1 mission, which has the potential to fly in December of this year or January 2027, will act as a critical engineering evaluation flight. According to Dana Weigel, manager of NASA’s Low Earth Orbit Program, the mission will test Starliner’s propulsion system through targeted demonstration objectives and disciplined operational controls.
Following this uncrewed validation, teams will complete additional thruster valve design modifications to address poppet seal extrusion. To boost performance and reliability while backing system certification, Boeing is also fitting new batteries, minor parachute system tweaks, and fresh crew module thrusters.
Commercial Destinations and Pricing Pressures in Low Earth Orbit
Beyond the space station, Boeing is setting its sights on emerging private space stations, known as CLDs (commercial LEO destinations). With the retirement of Dragon likely by or before 2030, the space agency is considering extending the International Space Station’s lifetime to 2032. Facing a difficult decision, NASA needed some way to get its astronauts there, and Starliner was evidently the best option.
Critics have occasionally proposed that NASA ought to finance an additional crew contest encompassing Boeing, Blue Origin alongside its developing “space vehicle”, and potentially alternative entities like The Exploration Company. But Isaacman seemed reluctant to make such an investment, which likely would cost billions. John Mulholland, vice president and program manager of Commercial Crew at Boeing, expressed strong enthusiasm for the expanded scope. We’re incredibly excited about the partnership with NASA,
said John Mulholland, vice president and program manager of Commercial Crew at Boeing.
Mulholland added that the company has talked to all of the CLD providers about becoming their preferred transportation supplier in the future.
Pricing Structure and the Road to Starliner-2
Financial considerations remain central as Boeing prepares for a period where it may hold a monopoly on crew transportation after Dragon exits the market. NASA and Boeing have settled on a rate of roughly $90 million per seat for flights Starliner-2 through Starliner-6. However, this summer, as Boeing was negotiating with CLD providers, the firm declined to lock in ticket costs for the decade starting in 2030.
We couldn’t provide detailed pricing to the CLD suppliers as the Vulcan rocket has not been certified, and the spacecraft has not been certified, and we don’t have detailed pricing on the Vulcan,
Mulholland said. That will come in the future, and obviously we want to be as competitive as possible.
Every six to nine months, NASA will require two seats to transport astronauts to low-Earth orbit. Following the upcoming uncrewed flight and subsequent risk reductions, the agency’s current plan is to return astronauts on Starliner-2 by 2028.