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NASA, Boeing Target Early 2026 for Next Starliner Flight After Propulsion Fault

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NASA announced on Thursday that it is working with Boeing to test and certify the CST-100 Starliner for its next crewed mission, which could take place as early as late 2025 or early 2026. The update comes after the spacecraft’s troubled debut crewed flight to the International Space Station (ISS), which was significantly extended due to a propulsion system malfunction.

The mission, originally planned as an eight-day trip, ended up keeping astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams in orbit for over nine months. They returned earlier this month aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule.

Testing and Analysis Underway
NASA and Boeing are now planning a series of propulsion system tests and engineering analyses scheduled to run through the spring and summer. The goal is to resolve the issues that plagued Starliner’s propulsion system and ensure the spacecraft meets safety requirements for future flights.

Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, said the timeline for the next flight “is likely to be in the timeframe of late this calendar year or early next year.”

Cost and Development Hurdles
Boeing’s Starliner project has been fraught with delays and technical issues since its inception. The effort has cost Boeing over $2 billion to date, placing it under increased scrutiny, especially in contrast to competitor SpaceX, whose Dragon capsule has become the preferred vehicle for crew transport to the ISS.

The faulty propulsion system on Starliner has become a critical focal point for NASA’s certification process, as the agency continues to rely on multiple commercial providers for its low-Earth orbit missions.

What’s Next
NASA emphasized that it will not proceed with another Starliner crewed launch until the spacecraft passes all necessary tests. Both agencies remain committed to restoring confidence in the system, aiming to bring Starliner into regular rotation for ISS crew missions.

NASA and SpaceX Crew-9 Return to Earth on Crew Dragon Freedom After 171 Days in Space

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NASA and SpaceX have successfully brought Crew-9 astronauts back to Earth aboard the Crew Dragon Freedom spacecraft after 171 days in space. The mission’s splashdown occurred on March 18 at around 5:57 p.m. EDT in the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of Florida. Initially planned for March 19, the return was rescheduled due to weather concerns. The event was broadcast live, with coverage beginning at 4:45 p.m. EDT, capturing the final moments of the mission. The crew’s return marked the end of a long-duration stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS), and the astronauts were greeted with enthusiasm as they made their way home.

The Crew-9 mission, which launched on September 28, 2024, included NASA astronauts Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov. They were joined on their return journey by Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore, who had originally arrived at the ISS aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft on June 5, 2024. Due to technical issues encountered during the Starliner’s mission, NASA and SpaceX decided to bring the astronauts back aboard the Crew Dragon Freedom instead, a decision that ensured their safe return to Earth. The Crew Dragon undocked from the ISS’s Harmony module at 1:05 a.m. EDT, beginning their journey back to Earth.

The Crew Dragon’s re-entry process included a deorbit burn scheduled for 5:11 p.m. EDT, which was the final step before the spacecraft descended toward the Earth’s surface. By the time of splashdown, Crew Dragon Freedom will have completed 171 days in space, with Hague and Gorbunov covering approximately 72.5 million statute miles and completing 2,736 orbits around Earth. Williams and Wilmore, who had been in space for a longer duration, will have spent a total of 286 days in orbit, covering over 121 million statute miles during their time aboard the ISS.

The designated landing site for the Crew Dragon Freedom was the Gulf of Mexico, a location chosen for its proximity and safety for splashdowns. Future crew landings under NASA’s commercial crew program are expected to occur in the Pacific Ocean, a change from the Gulf landing site. This successful return marks another significant milestone for NASA’s collaboration with SpaceX, further solidifying the reliability of the Crew Dragon spacecraft in transporting astronauts to and from the ISS.

NASA-SpaceX Capsule Switch Poised to Bring Starliner Astronauts Home Days Sooner

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NASA announced on Tuesday that it has swapped out the astronaut capsule initially planned for a routine flight to the International Space Station (ISS), a move that will expedite the return of two astronauts who have been aboard the station for longer than expected. The U.S. space agency decided to use a previously flown SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, Endeavor, for its Crew-10 mission, replacing a new capsule whose production was delayed.

This change will bring the Crew-10 launch forward to March 12, moving up from the original March 25 date. NASA will still need to conduct a flight readiness assessment of the Endeavor capsule, which has already completed three previous missions.

The change in capsule is linked to the return of astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been on the ISS since last summer aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule, which faced technical issues. Their return was contingent on the arrival of the Crew-10 crew to maintain the station’s normal staffing levels.

This shift in the launch schedule comes after a recent intervention by former President Donald Trump, who urged SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to bring Wilmore and Williams back “as soon as possible.” Trump had criticized President Joe Biden’s administration over the astronauts’ extended mission, despite Biden’s lack of involvement. Musk accepted Trump’s request and echoed similar sentiments, though the mission’s delays were largely attributed to Boeing’s engineering challenges.

While NASA’s statement did not specifically mention the intent to accelerate the return of Wilmore and Williams, the capsule swap will indeed bring them back earlier than initially planned. NASA’s Commercial Crew Program head, Steve Stich, acknowledged SpaceX’s flexibility in handling the unexpected changes.

The decision to switch capsules has also affected other planned SpaceX missions, including the Fram2 private astronaut mission and Axiom’s planned Crew Dragon flight for astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary. The shift means that SpaceX will have to adjust its planned capsule allocations, impacting these missions.

SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule was developed with around $3 billion in funding from NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which aims to develop private-sector capabilities for spaceflight, reducing costs and increasing competition. In contrast, Boeing’s Starliner capsule, which has struggled with engineering setbacks, is also part of the same program but has faced more significant challenges.