NASA Classifies Boeing's Starliner Crewed Flight Test as 'Type A' Mishap

NASA has officially classified Boeing's 2024 Starliner crewed flight test as a 'Type A' mishap, the agency's highest-level incident designation. This decision follows an independent investigation into the mission's technical and organizational challenges.

The Starliner spacecraft launched on June 5, 2024, carrying NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams on a mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Originally planned for eight to fourteen days, the mission extended to 93 days due to propulsion system anomalies that complicated docking procedures. After extensive ground testing, NASA opted to return the spacecraft to Earth without its crew. Starliner landed autonomously in September 2024 at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico. Wilmore and Williams later returned aboard SpaceX's Crew-9 mission in March 2025.

An independent Program Investigation Team, chartered in February 2025, completed its report in November 2025. The investigation identified a combination of hardware failures, qualification gaps, leadership missteps, and cultural breakdowns that created risk conditions inconsistent with NASA's human spaceflight safety standards. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman acknowledged both technical and managerial shortcomings, stating, "We are correcting those mistakes. Today, we are formally declaring a Type A mishap and ensuring leadership accountability so situations like this never reoccur."

Under NASA's mishap classification system, a Type A designation reflects incidents involving high-risk potential outcomes and significant financial impact. Although the crew remained safe, the agency determined that the circumstances met the threshold for the highest classification due to the potential for a more serious outcome.

NASA and Boeing have been working jointly since the spacecraft's return to address technical deficiencies, with root cause analysis continuing. The agency has stated it will incorporate the investigation's recommendations before approving any future Starliner flights. The future cadence of Starliner missions remains unclear, as does the impact of the mishap classification on contract milestones within the Commercial Crew Program. NASA has framed the report as part of a broader commitment to transparency and leadership accountability in human spaceflight programs.