Boeing Starliner set for return mission after 2024 setbacks

Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, which faced significant challenges during its last mission in June 2024, may return to flight before the end of 2026. NASA and Boeing are targeting an uncrewed cargo mission to the International Space Station (ISS) for either December 2026 or January 2027. This mission, known as Starliner-1, aims to validate the improvements made to the spacecraft following its previous issues.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman emphasized the agency's commitment to the Starliner program, stating, "We have worked closely with Boeing to address the issues identified on previous Starliner flights, and we intend to see this vehicle return to flight." The next crewed mission, Starliner-2, is tentatively scheduled for no earlier than 2028, marking a cautious but determined effort to restore confidence in the spacecraft.

Future Starliner missions will launch on United Launch Alliance's (ULA) new Vulcan rocket, which is currently undergoing certification. The Vulcan rocket, designed to replace the retiring Atlas V, is intended to become ULA's primary launch vehicle for upcoming Starliner missions. However, the Vulcan has faced its own setbacks, including an anomaly during its fourth flight in February.

The previous Starliner mission in June 2024 ended in near-disaster, with astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams stranded on the ISS due to spacecraft issues. They eventually returned to Earth in March 2025 aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule. Both astronauts have since retired from NASA, marking the end of their careers with the agency.