BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – NASA and Boeing are expected to provide a critical update on the future of the company’s Starliner spacecraft. This comes nearly two years after the vehicle’s most recent crewed mission ended with astronauts stranded aboard the International Space Station for months.
The briefing is set for 3 p.m. NASA and Boeing leaders are expected to discuss Starliner’s development, the spacecraft’s next flight and plans for future crewed missions.
During its last mission in 2024, the spacecraft experienced helium leaks and thruster failures while traveling to the space station. NASA ultimately determined that Starliner was not safe to use for the astronauts’ return trip.
As a result, astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams remained aboard the space station for more than nine months instead of the 10 days originally planned. They eventually returned to Earth aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.
NASA classified the incident as a Type A mishap, the agency’s most serious category.
“Starliner has design and engineering deficiencies that must be corrected,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in February. “But the most troubling failure revealed by this investigation is not hardware. It’s decision-making and leadership — and, if left unchecked, it could create a culture incompatible with human spaceflight.”
An audit released in March found that Starliner’s leak and propulsion problems remained unresolved. NASA also said it could not provide a timeline for certifying the spacecraft to carry astronauts again.
Starliner’s next planned mission is expected to be an uncrewed cargo flight. However, NASA and Boeing have not announced an official launch date.
NASA and Boeing are expected to address questions about remaining issues and whether Starliner can take a crew to the I.S.S again during the update. Updates will be posted on ClickOrlando.com.
