NASA and Boeing officials announced on September 28 that the Starliner spacecraft will undergo an uncrewed test flight as early as December 2026 or January 2027, following extensive redesigns to address propulsion system failures that stranded two astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for nearly 10 months in 2024.
A second crewed mission, Starliner-2, is now targeted for mid-2028, pending the success of the upcoming test flight. NASA astronaut Woody Hoburg will command the crewed mission, which will follow the uncrewed Starliner-1 mission designed to validate upgrades to the spacecraft’s thrusters, seals, batteries, parachutes, and data collection systems.
Core Developments
- NASA and Boeing confirmed that the Starliner-1 uncrewed test flight is scheduled for December 2026 or January 2027, with the Starliner-2 crewed mission planned for mid-2028.
- Redesigned components include new thrusters, hydrogen seals, batteries, improved parachutes, and a higher-frequency data collector, all aimed at addressing the 2024 propulsion failures that left astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams stranded on the ISS.
Technical Upgrades and Testing
NASA and Boeing have implemented structural and system-wide changes to the Starliner spacecraft, including:
- Redesigned thrusters on both the crew module and service module to improve corrosion and thermal control.
- New hydrogen seals to prevent leaks identified during the 2024 mission.
- New batteries and improved parachutes to enhance reliability.
- Higher-frequency data collection to monitor performance in real time.
These upgrades will be fully tested during the Starliner-1 uncrewed mission, which will serve as a critical validation step before the Starliner-2 crewed flight proceeds. NASA’s Dana Weigel, program manager for the ISS, stated that Boeing has already implemented fixes for helium leaks identified in Starliner-1.
Mission Timeline and Objectives
The Starliner-1 mission is designed to demonstrate the spacecraft’s readiness for crewed operations. If successful, it will pave the way for Starliner-2, which will carry astronauts to the ISS. NASA officials emphasized that the Starliner program is intended to restore dual U.S. crew transportation capability to low Earth orbit, a goal of the Commercial Crew Program.
NASA’s Jared Isaacman noted that Starliner is expected to conduct up to five crewed missions to the ISS for NASA, reinforcing the agency’s strategy to maintain redundant access to the orbital laboratory. The spacecraft’s certification is also seen as critical for future commercial space stations planned for the 2030s, as SpaceX’s Crew Dragon and Falcon 9 are not expected to remain operational indefinitely.
Acknowledgment of Past Challenges
During the announcement, Woody Hoburg praised the professionalism of astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who endured an extended stay aboard the ISS due to the 2024 propulsion failures. Hoburg stated, “CFT, as you know, was a remarkably challenging mission, and Butch and Suni conducted themselves with the utmost professionalism, competence, and humility throughout the mission. They are American heroes, and I am deeply humbled to follow in their footsteps.”
Boeing, in a statement on X (formerly Twitter), confirmed that the company is working alongside NASA to implement hardware enhancements and allocate additional resources for human spaceflight certification, positioning Starliner as a long-term provider of crewed missions to low Earth orbit.
Strategic Importance of Starliner
NASA’s Dana Weigel underscored the importance of having two independent U.S. crew transportation systems to ensure sustained access to the ISS and future commercial space stations. She stated, “It's always been the Commercial Crew Program's goal to have two crew transportation providers to ensure commercial access to low Earth orbit. As SpaceX has publicly stated, the Dragon and the Falcon won't be around forever. Certifying Boeing's Starliner is important for both supporting ISS and also for follow-on future commercial destinations.”
The Starliner program remains a key component of NASA’s strategy to maintain U.S. leadership in human spaceflight while fostering competition and redundancy in the commercial space sector.