Boeing still working with NASA to schedule next Starliner flight – SpaceNews
10 hours ago
- Boeing is working with NASA to schedule a cargo mission for its CST-100 Starliner, which has not flown since the Crew Flight Test mission two years ago due to thruster malfunctions and helium leaks.
- The Starliner-1 cargo mission is effectively another test flight, and Boeing is redesigning deficiencies, but NASA's Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel notes it could take up to a year for the vehicle to fly again.
- Boeing now expects an uncrewed mission no earlier than the fourth quarter of 2026, with discussions ongoing with NASA about timing and requirements for future missions.
- Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg stated that the Starliner program is the last fixed-price contract in the company's defense unit to address cost overruns, and he does not anticipate additional financial hits before return to flight.
- Boeing, as co-owner of United Launch Alliance, provided a $500 million loan guarantee due to ULA's financial challenges from the grounding of its Vulcan Centaur rocket.