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Boeing’s Starliner Shift: Cargo Only for Now, Missions Reduced
Cape Canaveral, FL – Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, once envisioned as a key player in ferrying astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS), will now primarily serve as a cargo carrier, according to a recent contract modification announced by NASA. The updated agreement also significantly slashes the number of planned missions for the beleaguered craft.
NASA revealed the changes to its 2014 Commercial Crew Transportation Capability contract on Monday. Originally, the contract outlined six crewed flights to the ISS following a successful uncrewed test flight. However, the revised terms now specify a total of four missions, with two of those being optional.
This modification comes after a challenging year for the Starliner program. Last year, the spacecraft transported astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams to the space station for what was intended to be an eight-day stay. Unfortunately, a series of issues with the Starliner rendered it unsafe for their return, necessitating their retrieval nine months later via a SpaceX capsule.
“NASA and Boeing are continuing to rigorously test the Starliner propulsion system in preparation for two potential flights next year,” stated Steve Stich, NASA’s commercial crew program manager.
The upcoming flight, dubbed Starliner-1, will be dedicated to delivering essential cargo to the orbital laboratory. This mission will also allow for in-flight validation of system upgrades implemented following the Crew Flight Test mission last year. NASA indicated that if this initial cargo flight proves successful, the agency will then consider adding crews to subsequent Starliner missions.
Boeing has been actively working to address a range of persistent problems with the Starliner, including helium plug seal leaks, issues with its thermal shunts, and overheating thrusters.
With the International Space Station slated for retirement in 2030, NASA has expressed a preference for alternating between Starliner and SpaceX’s Crew Dragon for crew rotation missions. This strategy would typically involve only one mission per year for each vehicle. Consequently, the window for additional Starliner missions beyond the four currently under contract appears narrow, unless unforeseen issues arise with Crew Dragon or the ISS’s operational lifespan is extended.