NASA cuts Boeing Starliner deal to 4 flights following thruster failures in 2024 that stranded astronauts on ISS. The next flight is cargo-only in April 2026.
In 2014, NASA awarded Boeing’s Starliner a contract to fly astronauts to and from the International Space Station (ISS). But after some technical issues during Starliner’s 2024 crewed test flight, the contract was modified to allow Boeing and NASA «to focus on safely certifying the system in 2026», and executing on crew rotations «when ready.» The mutually agreed-upon modification adjusts upcoming missions, reducing them to four total versus the original six, with «two available as options.» The next flight will be a cargo-only test, dubbed Starliner-1, scheduled for no earlier than April 2026. The Starliner-1 flight will proceed after some necessary system upgrades, allowing both teams to properly assess in-flight validations, testing capabilities, certifications, and mission readiness. NASA says in its blog sharing the news that, following certification and after a successful mission, Starliner will «fly up to three crew rotations» to the ISS.
