Brief
NASA plans uncrewed Starliner test flight in December after 2024 failure
NASA will launch an uncrewed Starliner mission to the International Space Station in December to test design changes made after a 2024 crewed flight left astronauts stranded for nine months.
By Felo News Desk · Published
NASA announced that Boeing’s CST‑100 Starliner will undertake an uncrewed test flight to the International Space Station (ISS) as soon as December, following a 2024 crewed mission that left two astronauts aboard the ISS for 286 days. The decision comes after a report released in February blamed design and engineering flaws, particularly with thrusters, and cited lax NASA oversight as the main cause of the failure.
During the 2024 flight, the Starliner, named Calypso, carried astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams. A helium leak and malfunctioning thrusters prevented the capsule from returning the crew to Earth, forcing them to wait for a SpaceX Dragon capsule to return to Earth after nine months.
At a press conference, NASA administrator Jared Isaacman said the uncrewed flight will validate recent remediation efforts, including changes to seal designs and the thruster system. If successful, a crewed mission could launch in 2028, with NASA astronaut Woody Hoburg slated to command the flight.
Isaacman also noted that the Starliner will now be launched on ULA’s Vulcan Centaur heavy‑lift rocket, replacing the Atlas V that was previously used. The Vulcan rocket will be certified for crew transport after the Atlas V’s final flight.
NASA’s focus on Starliner follows SpaceX’s retirement of the Crew Dragon, which has left the agency with only one operational crew capsule. The agency has secured a $946 million contract with SpaceX for additional Crew Dragon missions through 2030, while continuing to invest in Starliner’s certification.
Key facts
- NASA will launch an uncrewed Starliner flight to the ISS in December (scientificamerican.com)
- The 2024 crewed Starliner flight left two astronauts stranded for 286 days (scientificamerican.com)
- Design changes include new seal designs and a revised thruster system (scientificamerican.com)
- Future crewed Starliner mission could launch in 2028 under astronaut Woody Hoburg (scientificamerican.com)
- Starliner will be launched on ULA’s Vulcan Centaur rocket instead of Atlas V (scientificamerican.com)
Background
Earlier Felo coverage on 18 September highlighted SpaceX’s retirement of Crew Dragon and NASA’s pivot to Starliner, noting the agency’s financial and technical challenges with the spacecraft. On 28 September, Felo reported that NASA would exercise options for two new Starliner flights to the ISS and certify the Vulcan rocket for future crew transport.
Why it matters
The uncrewed test is a critical step toward restoring a second crew‑transport option for NASA, reducing reliance on a single vehicle and addressing the long‑term need for reliable access to the ISS.
What happens next
NASA plans to launch the uncrewed Starliner flight in December and, if successful, schedule a crewed mission for 2028.
Sources
- [1] scientificamerican.com — originally reported as “NASA looks ahead to Boeing Starliner tests as it tries to overcome the spacecraft’s troubles”
