Boeing's next Starliner launch for NASA could slip to early 2026 after fixes

[Admin]

NASA and Boeing are still working on the thruster issues that Starliner experienced on its first crewed flight last year, so the capsule's next liftoff is a ways off yet.

Boeing's next Starliner launch for NASA could slip to early 2026 after fixes : Read more

 

[Unclear Engineer]

Hoping for a non-crewed flight before NASA takes the chance of repeating the mess that occurred in 2024. There is a reason for requiring uncrewed certification flights - let's not forget the reason. Last time was only a costly and inconvenient embarrassment - worse things might happen.

 

[Ken Fabian]

SpaceX is not yet in a position to step in with a replacement; the key component of their alternative has yet to have a successful launch.

 

[Unclear Engineer]

Ken,

The SpaceX Dragon capsule is the alternative, and has many missions already accomplished.

The SpaceX vehicle that has not been fully developed, yet, is the much larger SuperHeavy + StarShip, which has had successful launches, and even successful soft "landings" in water plus successful catches of the first stage SuperHeavy on its own launch tower. It has not yet been launched with the objective of putting anything into orbit.

It is true that there is a lot to be done before StarShip is rated for crew, but it is not something that NASA is intending to use for supplies of material and crew to the ISS. NASA is hoping to use it for landing on the Moon. But, Boeing is not even in the picture for that mission.