Boeing's Starliner certification delayed until at least 2028, audit shows

Audit Findings

NASA’s inspector general released an audit of the Commercial Crew Program on Tuesday, indicating that Boeing's Starliner crew capsule may not gain certification for operational flights to the International Space Station until 2028. This represents a significant delay from the initial target of 2017, pushing the readiness for regular crew rotation flights right before the potential retirement of the ISS in 2030.

Recommendations Issued

The inspector general made six recommendations to NASA officials, all of which were accepted. These recommendations include developing a new schedule for future Starliner flights and ensuring that all identified issues from previous test flights are adequately resolved and documented.

Technical Challenges Persist

NASA has identified approximately 100 in-flight anomalies during Starliner’s Crew Flight Test that took place in 2024. Although most anomalies have been addressed, significant issues such as helium leaks and overheating thrusters remain under investigation, raising concerns about the spacecraft's reliability.

Future Mission Uncertainty

While NASA anticipates completing tasks related to Starliner’s technical issues by the end of the year, the exact launch date for the next mission, now a cargo flight named Starliner-1, has not been determined and is reported to be under review. The likelihood of launching Starliner-1 before 2027 is diminishing.