Boeing "incredibly excited" to serve as nation's only astronaut transportation
Summary
NASA will buy two more flights on Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft and give Boeing $359 million to fix technical problems and certify a new rocket for crewed missions. This decision aims to keep safe astronaut trips to low-Earth orbit as SpaceX plans to retire its Crew Dragon spacecraft.Key Facts
- NASA is purchasing two additional crewed Starliner flights, increasing the total to six missions.
- Boeing’s Starliner faced many problems, including nearly losing astronauts in a 2024 flight due to thruster issues.
- NASA will pay Boeing $359 million to rebuild parts of Starliner and certify the United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket for human spaceflight.
- SpaceX plans to retire its Falcon and Dragon spacecraft to focus on its new Starship vehicle.
- Boeing has received more than $5.1 billion from NASA under the Commercial Crew program so far.
- The next Starliner uncrewed test flight could occur around late 2026 or early 2027.
- NASA plans to extend the International Space Station’s lifespan to 2032 and supports new private space stations.
- NASA faces limited astronaut flight demand, needing about two seats every six to nine months.
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