NASA Sets December Target for Boeing Starliner Test Flight Amid Crew Transport Concerns
NASA announced that Boeing's Starliner will attempt an uncrewed flight no earlier than December, with a crewed mission to the ISS planned for mid-2028 if the test succeeds.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman told reporters on Monday that the next flight of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft is scheduled for no earlier than December. The agency said a successful uncrewed mission would allow the vehicle to carry astronauts to the International Space Station in mid-2028.
"We have worked closely with Boeing to address the issues identified on previous Starliner flights, and we intend to see this vehicle return to flight in support of the International Space Station and future commercial destinations," Isaacman said.
The Starliner program experienced setbacks after a crewed test flight in June 2024, during which five thrusters failed and several helium leaks were detected. NASA deemed the spacecraft unsuitable for return travel and brought the crew back aboard SpaceX’s Dragon capsule. An uncrewed return flight occurred in September 2024, and Boeing has since worked on fixing the identified problems.
NASA officials reported progress on repairing helium leaks and testing the thrusters, and Boeing executives indicated that most troubleshooting work is complete. The upcoming flight will serve as an engineering evaluation to verify those modifications before any crew is onboard.
"With the safety of our space station crew and the public as our highest priority, we will test Starliner’s propulsion system through targeted demonstration objectives and disciplined operational controls," said Dana Weigel, manager of NASA’s Low Earth Orbit Program.
The schedule comes as SpaceX prepares to cease production of its Crew Dragon capsule, which currently remains the only operational U.S. crew transport vehicle. NASA has awarded SpaceX a contract worth $946 million for three additional crewed ISS missions through 2030, while also pursuing Starliner as a second option to maintain crewed access to low-Earth orbit.