NASA audit indicates Starliner certification could be delayed until 2027
An audit by NASA's inspector general suggests Boeing's Starliner may not achieve human-rating certification until 2027, pushing its first crewed flight a decade beyond the original 2017 target.
NASA’s inspector general released an audit of the Commercial Crew Program that projects Boeing’s Starliner capsule may not be certified for operational flights to the International Space Station until 2027, ten years later than the program’s initial schedule. The delay would leave only a short window for crewed missions before the ISS is slated to retire in 2030, with Congress considering an extension to 2032.
The report issued six recommendations, all of which NASA officials accepted, including the development of an updated flight schedule that accounts for unresolved technical issues from the 2024 Crew Flight Test. NASA indicated it expects to complete the required actions by Dec. 31, but the launch date for the next Starliner mission, now designated a cargo flight (Starliner-1), remains “under review.”
“Parachute anomalies remain a risk that requires continued monitoring,” the inspector general wrote.
“These unresolved technical issues were driven by NASA’s and Boeing’s overconfidence in Boeing’s use of heritage systems, an unachievable schedule, and limited flight simulation data,” the report added.
The audit notes that major problems such as helium leaks, overheating thrusters, and parachute concerns persist from the 2024 test, which saw astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams remain on the ISS for nine months after the capsule was deemed unsafe for return. While most minor anomalies have been closed, the significant issues continue to be investigated by NASA’s independent safety panel.
Because of the setbacks, NASA has stripped Boeing of two of the six crew rotation missions originally guaranteed under the 2014 contract, reducing the contract’s value by about $500 million. One remaining crew flight has been re-classified as cargo-only, and NASA will need to purchase additional SpaceX Crew Dragon flights, an expense estimated at $300 million, to maintain ISS crew capacity through 2030.
The inspector general also highlighted financial concerns, questioning roughly $128 million paid to Boeing since 2019 for a future crew rotation mission that remains uncertain, and noting a $17 million payment to SpaceX to accelerate its flights.
If Starliner returns to flight, Boeing must secure a launch slot on United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V and coordinate docking availability and crew training, factors that could further push certification to 2027.
