Overview
- The next Starliner mission will fly cargo only to the International Space Station no earlier than April, pending additional tests and certification.
- NASA reduced the planned Starliner flight manifest from six to four missions.
- If the cargo demo succeeds, the remaining three flights are reserved for crew exchanges before the station’s planned 2030 retirement.
- Boeing and NASA made the change after the 2024 crew test suffered multiple problems that led to the capsule returning without astronauts.
- Engineers continue to analyze thruster performance and other technical issues identified during the troubled crew mission.