NASA's inspector general audit reveals that Boeing's Starliner crew capsule may not be certified until 2028, a decade behind schedule. This delay impacts NASA’s plans for ongoing crew rotations to the ISS, which could be exacerbated by anticipated technical issues.
NASA’s inspector general released an audit of the Commercial Crew Program on Tuesday, indicating that Boeing's Starliner crew capsule may not gain certification for operational flights to the International Space Station until 2028. This represents a significant delay from the initial target of 2017, pushing the readiness for regular crew rotation flights right before the potential retirement of the ISS in 2030.
The inspector general made six recommendations to NASA officials, all of which were accepted. These recommendations include developing a new schedule for future Starliner flights and ensuring that all identified issues from previous test flights are adequately resolved and documented.
NASA has identified approximately 100 in-flight anomalies during Starliner’s Crew Flight Test that took place in 2024. Although most anomalies have been addressed, significant issues such as helium leaks and overheating thrusters remain under investigation, raising concerns about the spacecraft's reliability.
While NASA anticipates completing tasks related to Starliner’s technical issues by the end of the year, the exact launch date for the next mission, now a cargo flight named Starliner-1, has not been determined and is reported to be under review. The likelihood of launching Starliner-1 before 2027 is diminishing.
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NASA's inspector general audit reveals that Boeing's Starliner crew capsule may not be certified until 2028, a decade behind schedule. This delay impacts NASA’s plans for ongoing crew rotations to the ISS, which could be exacerbated by anticipated technical issues.