The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced on November 24 that it would reduce the number of flights carrying astronauts under its contract with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft.
Starliner's next mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will be conducted without a crew, a decision that narrows the scope of a program that has been plagued by technical difficulties and outperformed by SpaceX in recent years.
The most recent incident occurred during Starliner's first human test flight in 2024, with NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams.
Upon approaching the ISS, some of Starliner's thrusters failed, forcing the astronauts to stay on the station for nine months.
NASA and Boeing have been discussing the future of the Starliner program for months following the incident. A Boeing spokesperson said the company remains committed to the program.
Previously, Boeing's contract under NASA's Commercial Spaceflight Program, worth $4.5 billion, was expected to deploy six flights to and from the ISS.
Under the latest change, the number of Starliner flights is reduced to four, including a maximum of three astronaut flights and one unmanned flight scheduled for April 2026.
The two additional flights were considered options. These adjustments reduced the value of Boeing's contract to $3.732 billion, down from the original $4.5 billion. NASA has paid $2.2 billion for the contract to date.
NASA selected Boeing and SpaceX in 2014 to develop and operate spacecraft to carry US astronauts to and from the ISS, creating two backup ships.
While SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft has been NASA's primary vehicle since its first human flight in 2020, Starliner has been plagued by delays, technical failures and cost overruns.
“Safety remains our top priority as we focus on the Starliner-1 mission, including lessons learned from previous test flights and this fall’s testing,” a Boeing spokesperson stressed.
“NASA and Boeing continue to rigorously test the Starliner propulsion system in preparation for two potential flights next year,” said Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Spaceflight Program. “This adjustment allows us to focus on certifying the system in 2026, conducting Starliner’s first astronaut rotation when ready, and adjusting the flight plan based on the station’s operational needs through 2030.”
In the wake of Starliner’s delays, NASA has awarded additional ISS flights to SpaceX with its Dragon capsule, scheduled until the ISS’s retirement in 2030, raising questions about Starliner’s competitiveness. Boeing has spent more than $2 billion since 2016 on the fixed-price program.
NASA still maintains the need for two American vehicles to the ISS, to avoid being completely dependent on Russian ships if SpaceX's Dragon is grounded.
Boeing intends the Starliner to become a commercial spacecraft for future space stations, possibly replacing the ISS, although that plan is still far off.
According to NASA, the next mission, scheduled for April 2026 and called Starliner-1, will only transport cargo to the ISS instead of carrying astronauts./.
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/nasa-giam-so-chuyen-bay-cua-boeing-starliner-sau-su-co-voi-phi-hanh-doan-post1079165.vnp
Comment (0)