It’s official: Boeing’s next flight of Starliner will be allowed to carry cargo only

NASA has confirmed that Boeing's next Starliner flight will only carry cargo to the International Space Station, as it nears its end-of-mission period. The space agency has also cut some future flights of the spacecraft.

According to NASA, the next Starliner-1 mission is now targeted for no earlier than April 2026, which requires completion of rigorous test and certification activities. Launching by this time will be a significant milestone for Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spacecraft, which has faced development struggles in recent years.

The agency has reached an agreement with Boeing to modify the Commercial Crew contract, which originally called for six crewed flights to the space station following certification of the spacecraft. Instead, NASA and Boeing plan to fly the Starliner-1 mission carrying cargo first, followed by up to three additional missions before the space station is retired.

The decision comes after several setbacks, including software problems on the vehicle's first two test flights. While SpaceX has had more success with its Crew Dragon vehicle, which flew a successful crew test flight in mid-2020 and its first operational mission later that year.

NASA has not revealed details about the changes made to Boeing's propulsion system or the tests it underwent on the ground. However, part of the problem was diagnosing thruster issues in the "service module" portion of the spacecraft, which is jettisoned before reentry into Earth's atmosphere.

The decision marks a significant shift for NASA and Boeing as they look to move forward with the development of commercial crew vehicles. With SpaceX continuing to lead the charge, Boeing must now focus on certifying its system safely and efficiently in 2026.

man, gotta feel bad for boeing , been struggling with starliner for ages and still not getting it right . nasa's got a tough road ahead, gotta figure out what went wrong with the propulsion system and get it fixed ASAP . think they're making the right call by cutting future flights, don't wanna risk another major setback . SpaceX is on a whole different level rn , but boeing's still got this ... hopefully .

I'm surprised they're pushing back the first crewed flight so much . It's like, we've been waiting for this thing to get off the ground for years already. I guess it's better late than never, right? But seriously, Boeing needs to step up their game if they want to be a player in this space race . SpaceX has proven that they can do it, so now it's on Boeing's shoulders . They're gonna have to bring their A-game if they wanna keep up with Elon's crew .

So like I'm reading this news about NASA and Boeing's Starliner spacecraft... I'm kinda surprised that they're just gonna send cargo first? I mean, it makes sense that they wanna test the thing out a bit more before sending people up there, but still... isn't that a bit of a waste? Like what if something goes wrong and it's just cargo that gets damaged? Does that even matter anymore?

And also, why did it take so long to get this thing sorted out in the first place? It's like they've been working on it for years and still can't seem to crack the code. What's going on behind the scenes at NASA and Boeing that we don't know about?

OMG, like, what's going on with Boeing's Starliner?! I'm not surprised they're cutting some flights though, considering all the issues they've had... remember that movie "Hidden Figures" where NASA was struggling to get it right? It sounds like Boeing is finally learning from their mistakes!

So, now they're going to do cargo-only missions first and then maybe crewed ones later... I'm keeping an eye on this . SpaceX might be doing better with Crew Dragon, but I think Boeing needs to step up their game . They can't just rely on Elon's coattails (just kidding, sorta ). The thing is, NASA wants reliable systems for the space station, and if that means tweaking Boeing's propulsion system some more... yeah, it's a good idea . I'm rooting for them to get it together by 2026!

I'm surprised that NASA is cutting some flights from the Starliner program... it feels like they're backing off a bit too much for my taste. I mean, the guy's gotta prove himself after all the issues they had with software on those test flights . But at the same time, I get why they'd wanna make sure everything is shipshape before sending a crew up there... you can't be too careful when it comes to people's lives .

It seems like SpaceX is setting the bar pretty high for Boeing now - gotta step up their game if they wanna keep up with those guys . But I'm curious, what exactly did they change on that propulsion system? Was it a major overhaul or just some tweaks?

ugh I'm so frustrated for boeing ! They've been working on this starliner thingy for ages and it's like they're just not getting it right . first software problems, then thruster issues... it's like they're trying to throw them off the train before they even get a chance to prove themselves . I mean, SpaceX is doing all the cool stuff with their Crew Dragon, while boeing is over here playing catch-up . and now nasa is cutting some of their flights? that just seems like a huge letdown for all the people who were rooting for them . but hey, i guess it's all part of the process... they gotta learn from their mistakes and try again . can't wait to see what 2026 brings for boeing!