NASA is reviewing its partnership with Boeing due to technical issues with the Starliner spacecraft. As a result, the number of planned missions has been reduced, and the next flight to the ISS will be uncrewed. This was reported by Glavkom, citing Reuters.
The recent incident occurred during the Starliner’s first crewed test flight in 2024, when NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were on board. During the approach to the ISS, several engines in the orientation system failed. Afterward, NASA and Boeing spent several months discussing the future plans for the Starliner program, as the crew remained at the station for nine months.
A Boeing spokesperson reaffirmed the company’s commitment to the project, under which a $4.5 billion contract called for six flights after certification to transport astronauts to the station. The next Starliner mission will be uncrewed to ensure that all issues from the previous test have been resolved.
“Safety remains our top priority. We are focused on the Starliner-1 mission, taking into account the findings from previous tests,” the Boeing spokesperson noted. Additionally, Glavkom reported that Japan’s Space One launched the Kair rocket for the third time.
