NASA Pours $359 Million into Struggling Boeing Starliner Program

NASA has announced that it will invest an additional $359 million in Boeing's Starliner program to address technical issues and prepare for its return to space. The funding will cover upgrades, including new valves and seals, as well as rocket certifications.

The decision follows a troubled 2024 mission when astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams traveled to the International Space Station aboard Starliner. Issues recorded during the flight led NASA to classify the mission as a Type A incident, its most serious category.

Boeing is expected to launch an upgraded version of Starliner in December without a crew. The next uncrewed flight will be commanded by astronaut Woody Hoburg, and astronauts are not expected to use the spacecraft again until 2028.