NASA has classified the recent Starliner test mission failure as a major incident, likening it to past shuttle disasters. The Boeing spacecraft encountered thruster issues near the ISS during its first manned flight in 2024, resulting in what NASA termed a ‘Type A mishap’.
The severity of this incident matches that of the loss of two Space Shuttles, with NASA’s Amit Kshatriya acknowledging the close call, stating, “We almost did have a really terrible day.” The space agency’s Program Investigation Team published a report highlighting the challenging nature of the event.
The Starliner ran into propulsion problems while approaching the ISS, temporarily losing its ability to maintain safe orientation. This compromised its attitude control, prompting a crisis response from the teams involved. The investigation also shed light on concerning aspects of pressure and decision-making within the program.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman emphasized the need to address design and engineering flaws in the Starliner, particularly focusing on leadership issues that could jeopardize human space missions. He confirmed that crewed flights on the capsule would not resume until all technical issues were resolved.
In the meantime, NASA will continue relying on SpaceX for crew transportation to and from the ISS. Boeing has pledged to address both technical and cultural shortcomings identified in the report, striving to improve their processes and team dynamics.
Following the review, NASA and Boeing have updated their Commercial Crew agreement to include upcoming missions, but the future of the Starliner program remains uncertain. Unless all identified challenges are successfully addressed, the spacecraft may not carry astronauts again, leaving SpaceX as the primary crew transport provider.
Originally intended as NASA’s secondary launch option, the Starliner project now faces delays and revisions to regain trust in its capabilities. Astronauts are expected to continue flying on SpaceX missions for the foreseeable future as the Starliner works to overcome its setbacks.
