NASA Delays Crewed Starliner Missions Until 2028 Amid Ongoing Propulsion Issues

NASA is resetting its Boeing Starliner flight schedule, pushing back crewed missions until at least 2028. The uncrewed Starliner-1 mission will launch in December 2026 or January 2027 to test changes to the spacecraft's propulsion system.

The move follows an investigation into helium leaks and thruster problems that plagued the spacecraft's previous Crew Flight Test in June 2024. NASA found that service module reaction control thrusters operated outside their qualified engineering environment, leading to thermal conditions and design features contributing to performance issues.

Boeing will make further modifications and complete additional testing before NASA clears Starliner to carry astronauts again. The agency still wants a second US spacecraft capable of transporting astronauts to low Earth orbit and is working with Boeing to address the identified issues.