NASA schedules unpiloted Starliner test flight for late 2024 after 2024 mission setbacks
NASA and Boeing plan an uncrewed Starliner launch in December-January to validate propulsion upgrades, aiming for a crewed flight by mid-2028.
NASA and Boeing intend to launch an unpiloted Starliner capsule in the December-January window to evaluate a series of hardware upgrades introduced after a 2024 mission experienced multiple propulsion failures that left two astronauts aboard the International Space Station for more than nine months. The test flight, designated Starliner 1, will rendezvous with the station and conduct on-orbit demonstrations of the revised thruster valves, redesigned service-module poppets and other system improvements.
If the uncrewed mission meets performance criteria, the agencies hope to schedule a crewed Starliner flight in mid-2028, with veteran astronaut Warren "Woody" Hoburg slated to command. The effort follows an independent review board’s identification of three major problems—thruster valve leaks, helium pressurisation leaks and insufficient redundancy in the rocket-firing system—during the June 2024 crewed flight that ultimately lasted 286 days after the crew returned to Earth aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon.
NASA officials emphasized the need for a second U.S. crew-transport provider to maintain access to low-Earth orbit after SpaceX’s Crew Dragon retires in 2030. > "It's always been the Commercial Crew Program's goal to have two crew transportation providers to ensure commercial access to low Earth orbit," said Dana Weigel, manager of NASA's low-Earth orbit operations. She added that certifying Starliner is important for future commercial destinations.
Boeing announced that it is replacing valves in all 12 crew-module thrusters, redesigning service-module poppets, adding a faster flight-data recorder, and upgrading batteries and parachutes. The company also plans to work with United Launch Alliance to certify the new Vulcan rocket for human-spaceflight missions, as the Atlas 5 boosters used previously are being retired.
NASA and Boeing will monitor the thruster performance and thermal modifications during the upcoming flight, with the goal of gathering data to support final crewed-vehicle certification.