Turbulent Voyage of Boeing's Starliner to Crewed Space Travel

The next flight of Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spacecraft is expected to be a cargo-only test mission in early 2026, according to recent announcements. This move is aimed at verifying critical fixes, particularly addressing helium leak issues and thermal management problems in the Starliner's thruster "doghouses."

The decision to postpone the crewed flight test from the original 2025 schedule comes after a series of challenges, including software glitches during the Starliner's first orbital flight test in December 2019, which prevented it from reaching the International Space Station (ISS). These issues have led to significant financial losses for Boeing, with the company taking charges of over $1.5 billion against earnings for the Starliner program by 2022.

NASA's Commercial Crew Program manager, Steve Stich, indicated at a July 2025 briefing that the next flight of Starliner will likely not include astronauts onboard. The goal remains to start operational crew rotation flights with Starliner by late 2026 at the earliest, possibly during the second crew rotation slot that year. A full crewed flight test and certification of Starliner are expected no earlier than the end of 2026.

The Starliner, a reusable capsule designed to carry up to seven astronauts or a mix of crew and cargo, consists of a Crew Module and a Service Module, has solar panels for power, and is built to dock automatically with the ISS. Each capsule is designed for up to 10 flights with six months of turnaround time between flights.

The Starliner's development has been a decade-long project, with Boeing awarded a $4.2 billion contract in 2014 to build a spacecraft capable of ferrying astronauts to and from the ISS. The spacecraft is scheduled for a crewed flight test in early May 2024, during which astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will fly to the ISS aboard the Starliner.

It's important to note that the Starliner has notable differences compared to SpaceX's Crew Dragon, the other spacecraft developed under NASA's Commercial Crew Program. If successful, the CFT could lead to NASA certification of the Starliner by the end of 2024.

However, the Starliner's first crewed flight in 2024 was not without issues. In May 2022, the Starliner successfully completed its second uncrewed orbital flight test, docking with the ISS and returning safely to Earth. An attempt to retry the test in August 2021 was scrapped due to problems with the capsule's propulsion system valves.

This cautious approach follows issues identified in Starliner's first crewed flight in 2024 and continuing challenges with thruster heating and helium leaks, prompting NASA to emulate aspects of SpaceX's phased cargo-then-crew development path. The aim is to ensure the safety and success of future missions.

The postponement of the crewed flight test for Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spacecraft from 2025 to early 2026 is part of a strategy to focus on resolving critical issues such as helium leaks and thermal management problems in the Starliner's thruster "doghouses."
The CST-100 Starliner spacecraft, designed for both crew and cargo, is a key component of the space economy and commercial space sector, with its development spanning over a decade and costing Boeing $4.2 billion.
Aside from Boeing's Starliner, the space-and-astronomy industry also has spacecraft like SpaceX's Crew Dragon, each with unique features and roles in the space tourism and aerospace technology landscape.
The success of the CST-100 Starliner could have significant implications for the space industry, potentially leading to NASA certification by the end of 2024 and the commencement of operational crew rotation flights by late 2026.
The finance and industry sectors are closely watching the developments in the aerospace industry, particularly in relation to commercial space, and the Starliner's progress plays a crucial role in shaping the future of space policy and the emerging space economy.