NASA and Boeing confirmed that the Starliner spacecraft will return to flight with an uncrewed mission targeted for December 2026 or January 2027. Following that test, the agency plans to resume crewed missions in 2028, altering the program’s schedule to address technical issues identified during the 2024 flight test.
Starliner-1 Mission Targets Winter Launch
Both NASA and Boeing are aiming for a liftoff window in December 2026 or January 2027 for the uncrewed Starliner-1 mission, bypassing a crewed launch to prioritize systems validation. This uncrewed cargo mission serves as a critical engineering flight to test hardware modifications implemented since the 2024 Crew Flight Test (CFT).
According to NASA officials, engineers traced helium leaks to valve degradation caused by exposure to nitrogen tetroxide, leading to the decision to fly uncrewed after an extensive investigation into the propulsion system anomalies that characterized the CFT mission. Boeing has since updated the spacecraft, including replacing all 12 reaction control thruster valves and installing new batteries and parachute system components.
We are living through the most exciting era of space exploration since Apollo,
said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman during a press conference. Ahead of crewed missions, the uncrewed Starliner-1 will act as an engineering evaluation flight designed to confirm improved thermal conditions, gather vital performance data for system qualification, and spot any remaining risks.
Starliner’s next flight is a critical step on the path to achieving full system certification and ensuring a sustained human presence in low Earth orbit,
said Dana Weigel, manager of NASA’s Low Earth Orbit Program. Once the flight concludes, NASA and Boeing intend to finish tweaking the design of the service module thruster valve to tackle poppet seal extrusion and the negative impacts it has on thruster operation. Extensive ground evaluations and analyses revealed to NASA and Boeing that the thruster performance snags stemmed from a mix of elements, such as the thermal climate and built-in design characteristics.
Taking those discoveries into account, Boeing applied thermal updates to the spacecraft’s service module, which NASA will review to check for enhanced performance during Starliner-1. NASA and Boeing mutually agreed to roll out another thruster valve design alteration to aid in spacecraft certification and upcoming crewed journeys. That is why the material of the seal was changed,
Dana Weigel explained, adding that the team also realized the need to select seals on the larger side of the tolerance spectrum.
Additional procedures involve flushing out the hydrazine and flowing a continuous purge to isolate the thrusters from carbon dioxide and other atmospheric exposure. Boeing Vice President and Program Manager for Commercial Crew John Mulholland has also been coordinating the preparations alongside NASA leadership, including NASA LEO Program Manager Dana Weigel and NASA astronaut Woody Hoburg.
Starliner-2 Mission Scheduled for 2028
Astronauts are not expected to board the Starliner again until 2028, when the Starliner-2 mission is scheduled to launch. The extended timeline allows the agency and Boeing to fully evaluate data from the uncrewed test and complete the rigorous certification process required for human spaceflight.
Expressing confidence in the vehicle during a press conference, Hoburg noted his background flying various types of aircraft and remarked that Starliner is a pilot's spacecraft.
He further pointed out that the wider lessons went beyond individual pieces of hardware, citing inadequate systems engineering and integration that created gaps in hardware qualification.
Starliner gives the crew real capabilities to respond to off-nominal events. These were exercised during CFT, and along with our expert flight control team, the manual control capabilities on Starliner were critical to achieving a safe docking despite numerous thruster failures.
Dana Weigel, manager of NASA’s Low Earth Orbit Program, via Space
NASA Provides 359 Million Dollars to Boeing
NASA has agreed to provide an additional $359 million to incentivize Boeing to continue the program.
The investment reflects the agency’s strategic commitment to maintaining multiple domestic providers for crew transportation to low Earth orbit. With SpaceX’s Crew Dragon missions expected to conclude near the end of the decade, NASA views Starliner as a necessary component for the transition to commercial space stations. While the total cost of the program has reached several billion dollars, officials maintain that redundant access to space is required for the future of the International Space Station and beyond.
