NASA and Boeing Set Sights on Starliner Return with Revised Development Plan
NASA and Boeing have announced plans to resume Starliner flights after issues were identified on previous missions. The uncrewed International Space Station flight, dubbed Starliner-1, is set to launch as early as December or January 2027.
The mission will serve as an engineering evaluation flight to confirm improved thermal conditions and gather qualification data before astronauts board the spacecraft. NASA aims to fly crew on Starliner-2 by 2028 after completing corrective actions, testing, and certification.
Boeing has modified the service module's thermal design in response to issues that caused a loss of control during the 2024 Crew Flight Test. The company will also install new crew module thrusters and batteries and adjust the parachute system for greater reliability.