Boeing Starliner Delays Spark Concerns Over NASA's Spaceflight Schedule
NASA has delayed Boeing's Starliner astronaut flights until 2028 due to previous mission issues. The Boeing Starliner capsule is undergoing major system overhauls after its 2024 flight test, which was plagued with problems.
The Starliner-1 mission will go up uncrewed in December 2026 or January 2027, followed by a crewed mission around the middle of 2028. This schedule change is a result of the issues experienced during the previous crewed mission in June 2024, which included helium leaks and thruster failures.
NASA has implemented new changes to address these problems, including switching materials and increasing seal sizes to prevent future leaks. Boeing also plans to flush and purge the thrusters between missions to prevent corrosion caused by leftover hydrazine fuel reacting with carbon dioxide.
The combined cost of the spacecraft upgrades and Vulcan certification is estimated at $359 million, which will be covered by NASA. The rocket's manufacturer, United Launch Alliance (ULA), is also switching from the Atlas V to the Vulcan Centaur booster for future Starliner missions.