The Breakdown
On June 5, 2024, NASA test pilots Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams launched atop an Atlas V rocket for what was slated to be a brief 10-day test flight to the International Space Station. As the capsule approached the station, multiple reaction control system thrusters failed and helium leaks sprouted across the service module. Flight controllers managed a safe docking, but the propulsion anomalies made a crewed return trip too risky.
NASA decided to return Starliner to Earth uncrewed in September 2024. Wilmore and Williams remained aboard the space station for more than nine months, eventually returning home aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon in March 2025.
In February 2026, NASA officially designated the flight as a Type A mishap. That is the agency's most severe hazard classification, placing the flight in the same hazard category as the Challenger and Columbia disasters.
A subsequent NASA Inspector General audit in March 2026 revealed that testing problems since 2020 had added about six years of schedule delays. The investigation generated 61 corrective recommendations from a Program Investigative Team. Both Wilmore and Williams have since retired from NASA, leaving a new flight crew to take over the vehicle's future.
Technical Specs / How It Works
Fixing a spacecraft classified as a Type A mishap requires addressing deep hardware and systemic vulnerabilities. Engineers spent two years running ground simulations to pinpoint why the propulsion system broke down in orbit. What actually happened was a complex interplay of thermal buildup, seal degradation, and valve corrosion. Thruster heat baked the service module manifolds, while moisture reacting with nitrogen tetroxide oxidizer created corrosive acid inside the valves.
To eliminate these failure points, NASA and Boeing modified their contract to execute a comprehensive technical overhaul:
- Service Module Helium Seals: Teams replaced degraded seals with new materials manufactured to tighter tolerances to stop helium gas leaks.
- Thruster Valve Overhaul: Engineers replaced valves on all 12 crew module reaction control system (RCS) thrusters and added operational flushing controls between missions.
- Redesigned Poppets: Boeing completely redesigned the service module RCS thruster poppets to prevent seal extrusion under pressure.
- Thermal Environment Modifications: Engineers applied thermal modifications to the service module to significantly reduce thruster operating temperatures.
- Enhanced Data Recorders: The spacecraft now features high-frequency pressure recorders on the service module thrusters to capture real-time chamber dynamics.
- Parachute & Battery Upgrades: Modifications include an improved parachute joint design along with upgraded battery systems provided by NASA.
These hardware fixes will face an uncrewed evaluation during Starliner-1, testing whether the thermal adjustments perform as expected in space.
Expert & Official Reactions
Pour an extra $359 million into a long-delayed spacecraft, and industry leaders are bound to speak out.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman addressed the decision during a press briefing at Kennedy Space Center on September 28, 2026. "We always were committed to seeing this through with Boeing, and now we're on a very good path," Isaacman stated. He emphasized that NASA wants a thriving low Earth orbit economy supported by multiple commercial options.
Low Earth Orbit Program Manager Dana Weigel detailed the contract pricing. "Value for the upgrades to both the spacecraft upgrades... plus the Vulcan certification is 359 million," Weigel explained.
Incoming Starliner-2 Commander Woody Hoburg voiced complete confidence in the vehicle's manual flying qualities. "I've flown many types of aircraft. And let me tell you, Starliner is a pilot's spacecraft," Hoburg said. He noted that Starliner's manual control capabilities were essential for achieving a safe docking during the 2024 flight test.
Even SpaceX leadership supported Boeing's return. Speaking on the All-In podcast, SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell remarked, "There is another provider, right? Boeing has been paid, I think, probably more than we have been paid to develop their human capsule". "So we're just gonna let them have some business. They should fly their capsule," Shotwell added.
Future Outlook & Next Steps
NASA and Boeing have established a structured, phased roadmap to bring Starliner back to operational status.
The first major milestone is Starliner-1, an uncrewed cargo flight targeted for launch in December 2026 or January 2027. This flight will deliver cargo to the space station while gathering vital flight data to validate the thermal remediation efforts.
If Starliner-1 succeeds, NASA plans to launch Starliner-2 in 2028. Commanded by astronaut Woody Hoburg, this mission will mark Starliner's return to crewed flight and restore missions 5 and 6 to Boeing's contract.
Because United Launch Alliance discontinued the Atlas V rocket in 2021, only six produced boosters remain. As a result, NASA is working with Boeing and ULA to certify the Vulcan Centaur rocket for human spaceflight. Meanwhile, SpaceX is preparing to launch its Crew-13 mission to the space station at 11:10 a.m. EDT on October 1, 2026.
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