Boeing Co. is in discussions with NASA regarding the potential use of its Starliner spacecraft for future missions, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. The news comes as the spacecraft has not flown since technical issues forced the cancellation of its crewed test flight in June 2024.
The Starliner program has faced significant setbacks recently. In June 2024, a launch attempt was scrubbed due to helium leaks and other technical problems. A subsequent attempt in August 2024 was also called off because of a valve issue. These failures resulted in the spacecraft being left on the launchpad while the two astronauts originally assigned to the mission, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, were stranded on the International Space Station for several months.
Despite these challenges, Boeing and NASA are reportedly now looking at the possibility of utilizing the Starliner for future assignments. The discussions are reportedly focused on how the vehicle can be integrated into the agency's upcoming spaceflight plans.
