Boeing, NASA Plan More Starliner Missions
Boeing and NASA are discussing plans to use the Starliner vehicle for 10 or more new flights in coming years, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal. These missions would help maintain U.S. access to low-Earth orbit, where the International Space Station operates.
A NASA spokesman said that the agency is developing plans to meet objectives for a continued presence in low Earth orbit and will release details soon. Boeing also remains committed to NASA's efforts and anticipates launching the next Starliner mission.
The development comes after NASA previously selected Starliner to conduct up to six missions, including a test flight in summer 2024 that transported astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams to the ISS. However, the operation encountered performance issues with failed thrusters, which created safety concerns for the crew.