Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft may soon return to space and is expected to be qualified to conduct manned missions after NASA’s “Crew-11” mission to the International Space Station this summer, following its main competitor SpaceX’s next launch. Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, revealed this news.
“We are working closely with Boeing to certify the Starliner spacecraft and get it back into space,” he said on March 18.
After SpaceX successfully completed NASA’s “Crew-9” mission and splashed down in the sea, Stich announced the plans at a subsequent press conference. The Crew-9 mission carried astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams on Boeing’s first and only manned test flight at the time of this article’s publication.
Stich emphasized the importance of having two different manned aerospace systems, mentioning the significance of redundancy in manned spaceflight capabilities with the Starliner and the importance of spaceflight to low Earth orbit economics.
Wilmore and Williams flew to the International Space Station on June 5, 2024, aboard the Starliner spacecraft. The spacecraft was launched on an Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Due to safety concerns, the mission, originally planned for 8 days, was prematurely aborted before docking with the ISS and the spacecraft returned to Earth empty.
During their flight, several issues arose, leading to a four-week delay in the launch date. The main problem was a helium leak in the propulsion system caused by defective rubber seals in the fuel tanks.
Under the leadership of new Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, Boeing has been continuously improving these systems at a test facility in White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. Stich outlined several improvements, including repairing the fuel tank leaks, testing improved propulsion systems, and adding additional heat-resistant materials to the support module. Boeing is also developing new spacesuits.
“We have confidence in Boeing’s resilience,” Stich said, noting the company’s commitment to continuously improving the Starliner. He expressed anticipation for a busy start to 2025 and an exciting summer ahead.
The next flight of the Starliner will test all the improvements made over the past year. Stich stated that it is unclear whether the next flight will be manned or unmanned, but NASA aims for the spacecraft to have manned capability. Following that, subsequent test flights will involve manned missions, where the Starliner will join SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft in NASA’s crew rotation missions.
Stich did not rule out the possibility of the Starliner being assigned to conduct the “Crew-12” mission to the International Space Station, which is scheduled after SpaceX’s “Crew-11” mission launching in July or August. Further data evaluation and testing are needed before a final decision is made.
As of March 19, the specific launch date for the return of the Starliner to space has yet to be determined.
Boeing has been contacted by Dajiyuan Times for further comments on this matter.