NASA announced that it will proceed with an uncrewed test flight of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft as early as December. The mission aims to validate thermal and thruster modifications following a 2024 failure, with plans to resume crewed flights in 2028 under the command of astronaut Woody Hoburg.
Starliner’s Path to an Uncrewed December Test
Following the uncrewed return of the Starliner during its initial 2024 crewed mission, NASA and Boeing have spent months addressing technical deficiencies. This mission will serve as an engineering evaluation mission to verify improved thermal environments, obtain necessary performance data for system qualification, and identify residual risk ahead of crewed missions,
according to NASA.
The upcoming flight will test critical hardware upgrades, including a new thruster valve design to address poppet seal extrusion and its adverse effects on thruster performance.
Boeing has also made thermal modifications to the service module, while NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and other officials noted that the agency and Boeing also decided to implement an additional thruster valve design modification in support of spacecraft certification and future crewed flights.
Woody Hoburg Named to Command 2028 Crewed Mission
NASA has selected astronaut Woody Hoburg to lead the next crewed Starliner mission following the successful completion of the uncrewed test. Administrator Jared Isaacman expressed confidence in the choice, stating that Hoburg’s experience will serve the mission well, describing him as an absolutely brilliant guy who’s helping on a lot of our ignition priorities.
While the agency previously aimed for earlier timelines, officials clarified that astronauts will not board the capsule until 2028. This schedule accounts for the extensive safety redesigns required to address the Type A mishap
classification assigned to the 2024 flight, which indicated potential danger to the crew. In February, NASA released findings from its Program Investigation Team that identified 61 recommendations, pointing to hardware issues and management factors.
Certification of the Vulcan Centaur Rocket
In a significant shift for the program’s logistics, NASA intends to transition Starliner launches from the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket to the Vulcan Centaur heavy-lift rocket. Because the Atlas V is soon retiring and no longer in production, the move to the Vulcan platform is necessary for the long-term viability of the Starliner program. NASA confirmed it will work with Boeing and United Launch Alliance to certify the new rocket for human spaceflight following the final flight of the Atlas V.
Financial Stakes and Strategic Redundancy
NASA maintains that having two independent crew providers is essential for the future of space exploration. Discussions have even contemplated expanding Boeing’s workload to 10 or more new missions.
However, as SpaceX shifts its focus toward developing Starship and intends to sunset older platforms like Falcon and Dragon in the 2030s, NASA’s desire for redundancy remains a key driver for the continued investment in Boeing’s capsule.
“Given our extensive history with Starliner and the taxpayer investment already made, we believe it represents the fastest path to preserving reliable crewed access to low Earth orbit.”
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman
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