NASA is considering another test flight for Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft before initiating regular missions to the International Space Station (ISS). Following the return of a SpaceX Crew Dragon, NASA’s commercial crew program manager, Steve Stich, indicated the agency anticipates another Starliner test flight, potentially crewed, prior to commencing crew rotation missions.
“What we’d like to do is that one flight and then get into a crew rotation flight,” Stich stated. “So, the next flight up would really test all the changes we’re making to the vehicle, and then the next flight beyond that, we really need to get Boeing into a crew rotation. So, that’s the strategy.”
These modifications to Starliner primarily target its propulsion system, which experienced helium leaks and thruster failures during the Crew Flight Test (CFT) mission last year. These issues necessitated an uncrewed return, extending the stay of NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, who had originally been on a short-duration mission aboard Starliner.
“The thing that we need to solidify and go test is the prop system in the service module,” Stich explained. “We need to make sure we can eliminate the helium leaks, eliminate the service module thruster issues that we had on docking.” This upcoming test flight, even if uncrewed, will ensure crew-capability. “Even if we were to fly the vehicle without a crew in the return,” he added, “we want that to be crew-capable. So, we want it to have all the systems in place that that we could fly a crew with.”
While progress is being made, Stich confirmed Boeing’s commitment to Starliner despite substantial financial losses. The company reported charges exceeding half a billion dollars in 2024, accumulating to over $2 billion throughout the program’s duration. “Boeing, all the way up to their new CEO, Kelly [Ortberg], has been committed to Starliner,” Stich asserted, emphasizing the efforts undertaken to address the issues.
Beyond the propulsion system, Starliner has yielded considerable data for crewed flight certification. Any subsequent test flight would fall within the post-certification phase of Boeing's contract, though its inclusion within the six post-certification missions remains unclear. There’s no immediate rush to finalize plans, with SpaceX’s Crew-11 mission slated for launch as soon as late July.