Boeing's Starliner Gets Another Shot at ISS Taxi Business

Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is getting another chance to prove itself as a reliable taxi service for the International Space Station (ISS). The company plans to launch an uncrewed vehicle, called Starliner-1, in December 2026 or January 2027. This will be followed by a crewed mission, Starliner-2, in 2028.

The plan is to use the Starliner spacecraft to ferry cargo and eventually humans to and from the ISS. NASA has been working with Boeing to get the spacecraft operational after a series of setbacks, including a failed test flight in 2024.

Boeing has made significant changes to the spacecraft, including replacing valves on all 12 of the crew module reaction control thrusters and upgrading battery systems. The company claims that 19 out of 21 in-flight anomalies have been resolved, with the remaining two expected to be fixed by October.

NASA's decision to continue working with Boeing may seem puzzling given the billions spent on the Starliner program, but the space agency sees it as a vital part of its plans for commercial access to orbit. With SpaceX's Crew Dragon nearing the end of its run, NASA needs reliable alternatives for crew transportation.

The Vulcan rocket will also be certified for use after the Atlas V is phased out. This will give Boeing and NASA more flexibility in their missions and help ensure a smooth transition to commercial stations.