NASA Revives Boeing's Starliner Program Amid SpaceX Crew Dragon Retirement Plans

NASA is taking steps to ensure that Boeing's Starliner spacecraft can continue flying after its Atlas V rocket retires. The space agency will order two additional crewed missions from Boeing, pay some of the costs to fix the spacecraft's thruster issues, and provide support to certify the spacecraft's launch on a new rocket.

This move comes as SpaceX has indicated that it intends to retire its Crew Dragon spacecraft by 2030. NASA paid $5.1 billion for the development and certification of Starliner, which has struggled to bring the vehicle into service due to numerous issues, including thruster problems that nearly led to a catastrophic loss of two astronauts during a test flight in June 2022.

NASA's decision to support Starliner is likely driven by its need for a crew vehicle beyond 2030. The space agency has limited options, as SpaceX can do as it pleases with Dragon after fulfilling its contractual obligations. NASA also wants to provide security to private space station operators that at least one provider will be available.

However, this move raises concerns about pricing and competition in the industry. Boeing may become a de facto monopolist, and its commitment to Starliner has been questioned due to financial losses.