NASA plans to launch an uncrewed Starliner test flight to the International Space Station as early as December, targeting a crewed flight in 2028 under the command of Woody Hoburg. The update follows extensive thruster and seal redesigns stemming from the capsule’s troubled 2024 crewed mission.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman outlined a new road map for the troubled program, signaling that the space agency remains committed to maintaining multiple human spaceflight providers despite years of technical delays and high-profile setbacks.
Remediating the 2024 Flight Test Failures
The path back to flight requires validating extensive engineering changes following the agency’s Type A mishap designation issued in February for the Crew Flight Test in June 2024. That mission carried NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore to the International Space Station for a planned 10-day stay, but helium leaks and the failure of five reaction control system thrusters disrupted the journey.
While Starliner managed to dock safely, NASA ultimately decided to return the capsule uncrewed, leaving Williams and Wilmore in orbit for months until they returned aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft in March 2025. A subsequent NASA investigation yielded 61 recommendations, pointing to thermal issues and design vulnerabilities.
Engineers traced helium leaks to valve degradation caused by exposure to nitrogen tetroxide, prompting the company to change seal materials and select larger-tolerance seals.
Uncrewed Starliner-1 and the Long Road to 2028 Crewed Operations
The upcoming uncrewed Starliner-1 mission is scheduled for December or January 2027. Operating as an engineering evaluation flight, it will test thermal modifications and gather crucial performance data before human passengers return to the capsule.
Because not all corrective actions will be tested on the uncrewed flight, a significant gap remains before the crewed Starliner-2 mission targeted for mid-2028. Following Starliner-1, teams will complete service module thruster valve design modifications, install new crew module thrusters and batteries, and implement minor parachute system updates.
NASA announced that veteran astronaut Woody Hoburg will command Starliner-2.
Transitioning to the Vulcan Centaur Heavy-Lift Rocket
Future Starliner flights will also require a new launch vehicle. The Atlas V rockets that historically carried the capsule are nearing the end of production, prompting NASA to work with Boeing and United Launch Alliance to certify the Vulcan Centaur heavy-lift rocket for crew transportation.
NASA expects to pay an additional $359 million for spacecraft upgrades and Vulcan certification. The agency also intends to exercise options for fifth and sixth Starliner flights to support operations aboard the orbiting laboratory before its planned decommissioning in the early 2030s.
The push for Starliner redundancy comes as SpaceX dominates commercial crew transport with its Crew Dragon capsule. With SpaceX indicating future shifts toward its next-generation Starship system, NASA views the continued investment in Boeing’s vehicle as essential for maintaining reliable, multi-source access to low Earth orbit.
