NASA Gives Boeing's Starliner Program Second Chance with Uncrewed Flight Target
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman is backing Boeing's (NYSE:BA) Starliner program after its troubled test flight in 2024. According to Isaacman, reviving Starliner remains the quickest way for NASA to preserve a second US crew-transport option.
The agency has mapped out Starliner's path back to flight, with an uncrewed cargo mission potentially launching as early as December 2026 or January 2027. The first post-mishap crewed flight, Starliner-2, is targeted for 2028.
Isaacman stated that Boeing's troubled capsule represents the fastest path to preserving reliable crewed access to low Earth orbit. NASA still wants two independent US crew systems and has added three Crew Dragon missions worth $946 million to SpaceX's (NASDAQ:SPCX) Commercial Crew total, taking it to 17 operational missions and $5.92 billion through 2030.
The comeback is expected to cost NASA another $359 million for upgrades and rocket certification. The agency will work with Boeing and United Launch Alliance to certify Vulcan after Atlas V retires.