● Covered by 2 sources · 2 reportsMedium impact2 neutral
NASA Orders Two Additional Boeing Starliner Missions Amid SpaceX Dragon Retirement Plans
Key points
- NASA to order two additional Starliner crewed missions.
- NASA will help fund Starliner thruster repairs.
- NASA will support Starliner certification on a new rocket.
- SpaceX plans to retire Crew Dragon by 2030.
- SpaceX received an additional $946 million contract from NASA.
- SpaceX's total Commercial Crew Transportation Capability contract missions increased to 17.
- Boeing's Starliner is expected to fly without people in a few months.
- Boeing's Starliner crewed missions will start in the third quarter of 2027.
- SpaceX will provide ground, launch, in-orbit, return, recovery, and cargo transportation.
- SpaceX will provide lifeboat capability while docked to the ISS.
- SpaceX went public in June in the largest IPO on record.
- SpaceX has earned $5.92 billion from this NASA contract.
NASA's Strategic Shift
NASA is preparing to order two additional crewed missions for Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. This move is part of a broader strategy to ensure continued access to low-Earth orbit for astronauts, particularly as SpaceX plans to retire its Crew Dragon vehicle.
The space agency will also contribute to the costs associated with fixing Starliner's thruster issues and provide support for certifying the spacecraft to launch on a new rocket, following the retirement of the Atlas V.
SpaceX's Crew Dragon Retirement
SpaceX has informed NASA of its intention to retire the Crew Dragon spacecraft by 2030, if not sooner. This decision, privately signaled for some time, has now been publicly confirmed by SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell.
Crew Dragon is currently NASA's only operational spacecraft for routine astronaut missions to low-Earth orbit. SpaceX is shifting its focus to the larger Starship rocket for launching Starlink satellites and a new megaconstellation for orbital data centers.
Implications for Spaceflight
The impending retirement of Crew Dragon necessitates NASA's increased reliance on Boeing's Starliner, despite its past issues. This strategic pivot aims to maintain NASA's independent human spaceflight capabilities.
Shotwell commented on the situation, stating that Boeing should utilize the Starliner, given the significant government investment in its development.
Updates
- SpaceX received an additional $946 million contract from NASA.
- SpaceX's total Commercial Crew Transportation Capability contract missions increased to 17.
- Boeing's Starliner is expected to fly without people in a few months.
- Boeing's Starliner crewed missions will start in the third quarter of 2027.
- SpaceX will provide ground, launch, in-orbit, return, recovery, and cargo transportation.
- SpaceX will provide lifeboat capability while docked to the ISS.
- SpaceX went public in June in the largest IPO on record.
- SpaceX has earned $5.92 billion from this NASA contract.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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How outlets covered it
SpaceX received an additional $946 million contract from NASA to conduct three more crewed Dragon flights to the International Space Station (ISS) through 2030. This expansion brings SpaceX's total Commercial Crew Transportation Capability contract missions to 17, ensuring continued US access to the ISS with commercial partners.
NASA plans to order two more Boeing Starliner crewed missions and assist with Starliner's thruster fixes and new rocket certification. This decision follows SpaceX's indication that it will retire its Crew Dragon spacecraft by 2030, leaving NASA reliant on Starliner for routine astronaut missions.