Imagine being stuck in space for nine months due to technical glitches—that’s exactly what happened to astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore aboard Boeing’s Starliner. And now, NASA thinks it’s ready to fly again by April. Sounds like a joke, right? But here’s where it gets controversial: despite a history of setbacks, NASA is considering sending another crew to the International Space Station (ISS) later this year. Let’s break it down.
Starliner’s first crewed test flight was anything but smooth. Technical issues left Williams and Wilmore stranded on the ISS for far longer than planned, and NASA and Boeing are still ironing out the kinks. Yet, there’s talk of Starliner-1 launching as early as April—though this time, it’ll carry only cargo, not astronauts. If that mission succeeds, it could pave the way for up to three crewed rotations. But this is the part most people miss: even if Starliner-1 launches on time, it’s a long shot to think it’ll be ready for crewed flights by fall.
In November, NASA modified its contract with Boeing after Starliner failed to achieve full operational certification for crewed missions. Originally, Starliner-1 was supposed to be its first operational crewed flight, but now it’s a cargo run. Only if it passes this test will NASA consider crewed missions. Steve Stich, NASA’s commercial crew manager, cautiously stated, ‘We want to work through Starliner-1 into the summer timeframe and then see where we’re at.’ Translation? They’re not holding their breath.
Meanwhile, NASA’s Crew-12 mission is set to launch aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft after multiple weather delays. The four astronauts will spend eight months on the ISS, with their replacements arriving either via Crew-13 or—you guessed it—Starliner-2. Stich noted, ‘We have crews in training for both missions,’ but the big question remains: Will Starliner-2 even happen?
The spacecraft’s troubles didn’t start with the June 2024 flight. Helium leaks and thruster malfunctions plagued the mission before, during, and after it. Engineers have since replaced seals with a more corrosion-resistant version and are hot-firing thrusters for Starliner-1. They’re even building a model to predict thruster behavior. Stich claims they’ve made ‘great progress,’ but is it enough?
Here’s the bold question: Can Boeing’s Starliner really deliver this time? With months of test data still to analyze and rigorous safety standards to meet, it’s hard to imagine a flawless mission. And this is where opinions clash: some believe Boeing is turning a corner, while others think it’s too soon to trust Starliner with human lives. What do you think? Is NASA rushing, or is this a calculated risk worth taking? Let’s discuss in the comments!
