NASA’s decision to keep astronauts in space has raised questions about the future of its troubled Starliner spacecraft. The agency’s plan, announced in August, involves using the Starliner for routine trips to orbit, but it remains unclear whether NASA needs the vehicle at all.
An independent watchdog report released this year found that NASA made the right call in sending the Starliner back to Earth without a crew after technical problems were detected upon reaching the International Space Station. The report stated that the agency “took a thoughtful and effective approach” to err on the side of safety, but acknowledged other issues with the spacecraft.
Boeing’s press team did not respond to requests for comment. The company had high hopes for the Starliner’s maiden voyage with a crew in June, which ended in failure when technical problems arose during reentry.
Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams returned to Earth on a SpaceX Dragon this week after spending nine months in space. Their extended stay was part of NASA’s decision to keep the station understaffed rather than launch an emergency mission to return them to Earth sooner.
NASA is still moving ahead with plans to work with Boeing to make Starliner operational. The company will conduct tests at NASA’s White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico this summer, focusing on fixing thruster issues and making other modifications to prepare the spacecraft for routine spaceflight.
The report found that the Starliner’s path toward certification remains fraught, and it is unclear when the vehicle could next fly – with or without a crew. Once tests are complete, NASA will develop a potential flight schedule based on the International Space Station’s current mission schedule.
The future of the Boeing Starliner spacecraft hangs in the balance as NASA navigates its uncertain future amidst plans for the International Space Station to be decommissioned and deorbited in coming years.
Source: https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/03/20/boeing-starliner-nasa-return-decision-astronauts/82562082007