NASA Considers Third Uncrewed Test for Boeing's Troubled Starliner

Boeing faces financial and technical hurdles as NASA evaluates additional testing to resolve propulsion issues and certify Starliner for astronaut missions.

NASA is evaluating the need for a third uncrewed test flight of Boeing's Starliner to address unresolved propulsion system failures, including helium leaks and thruster issues.
The spacecraft's first crewed mission in 2024 encountered significant technical problems, leading NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to return to Earth on SpaceX's Crew Dragon instead.
Boeing has incurred over $2 billion in losses on the Starliner program, with additional costs expected for upcoming tests and potential flights.
NASA emphasizes the importance of Starliner as a critical second transportation option to complement SpaceX's Crew Dragon for astronaut missions to the International Space Station.
Boeing plans ground tests this summer to validate fixes, while NASA has not yet decided whether Starliner or Crew Dragon will conduct the next crew rotation mission after Crew-11.