BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Boeing has been working toward flying astronauts to the International Space Station under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program since 2014.
And while the company reached a major milestone on June 5, 2024, when NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams successfully launched to the ISS aboard Starliner, their mission took an unexpected turn.
Propulsion issues kept the pair in orbit far longer than planned, delaying their return by nine months.
They ultimately came home aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon. After months of uncertainty about Starliner’s future, NASA and Boeing have now modified their contract.
The original agreement called for up to six crewed flights.
That number is now four, with two additional missions listed as “options.” Florida Tech’s Dr. Don Platt said, “Well, I guess it’s good news because they’ve continued with the program. There was a lot of concern over the last year or so whether the Starliner program would even continue.”
NASA and Boeing continue to rigorously test the spacecraft’s propulsion system ahead of two potential flights next year.
The first major milestone will be an uncrewed cargo mission to the ISS — a flight that can take advantage of Starliner’s autonomous capabilities. That mission is currently slated for no earlier than April 2026.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2025 Cox Media Group
