NASA bets big on Starliner: A high-stakes gamble or a necessary move?

NASA is making a greater effort to support Boeing’s problematic Starliner spaceship, even though it has a history of expensive malfunctions and a voyage that left astronauts stranded for months. The space agency is attempting to rescue the project by continuing with fresh test flights despite having already spent billions. But is NASA preparing for another catastrophe as detractors doubt Boeing’s capacity to make things better?

The arguments

A Bold Strategy or a Risky Gamble?

Critics argue that NASA is setting itself up for another failure by continuing to invest in Starliner. Rudy Ridolfi, a former U.S. Air Force Space System Commander, is among those who doubt Boeing’s ability to recover.

In an interview with DailyMail.com, Ridolfi said “Given Boeing’s delayed history with Starliner schedules, the expectation that they can complete fixes and conduct an additional test flight appears unlikely”.

The concern is not just about the spacecraft’s technical issues—it’s also about Boeing’s overall capacity to deliver. The aerospace giant recently secured a major contract to build the U.S. military’s next-generation fighter jets. Some experts believe this could further strain Boeing’s resources and delay Starliner even more.

NASA’s Commercial Crew Program manager, Steve Stich, remains hopeful. “Butch and Suni’s return on Dragon shows how important it is to have two different crew transportation systems,” he stated during a press conference. But he also admitted that Starliner would need to regain certification from scratch, essentially restarting the process.

NASA has made no commitments to using Starliner for the Crew-12 mission, set for late 2025 or early 2026. However, officials still express hope that Boeing can deliver a fully functional spacecraft in time to provide redundancy alongside SpaceX’s Dragon.

The financial implications are another concern. NASA has already poured billions into Starliner, and continued setbacks could drive costs even higher. Given the project’s turbulent past, some question whether Starliner will ever meet the reliability standards required for regular crewed missions.

The facts

Starliner’s Rocky Journey

NASA announced that it will continue using Boeing’s Starliner capsule, despite its recent failures. The spacecraft’s last mission in June 2024 stranded astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore in space for months due to critical malfunctions. The pair eventually had to return in a SpaceX Dragon capsule, raising serious concerns about Starliner’s reliability.

NASA insists that having two independent crew transport systems—SpaceX’s Dragon and Boeing’s Starliner—is crucial. However, Starliner’s first crewed flight was plagued by issues, including five failed thrusters and helium leaks. These problems led NASA to cancel its return flight, sending the spacecraft back to Earth without astronauts in September 2024.

Despite the setbacks, NASA and Boeing claim they have fixed the propulsion issues. The plan now is to conduct an uncrewed test flight before reintroducing Starliner for crewed missions to the International Space Station (ISS).

Boeing’s struggles with Starliner extend far beyond technical failures. The project, initially awarded $4.2 billion in 2014 as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, has seen massive cost overruns. By October 2024, Boeing had spent an additional $5 billion out of its own pocket, with total losses reaching $1.85 billion.

NASA’s Office of the Inspector General has criticised Boeing’s handling of the project, even suggesting financial penalties for its ‘noncompliance with quality control.’ Despite this, NASA remains optimistic that Starliner will eventually become a viable option for space travel.

The Road Ahead: Can Starliner Make a Comeback?

NASA’s immediate focus is on launching Crew-11 in July 2025 using SpaceX’s Dragon. Meanwhile, Boeing must prove Starliner’s reliability with another test flight before it can re-enter rotation.

If Starliner succeeds, it could provide NASA with the redundancy it desires, ensuring the U.S. has two independent options for astronaut transport. If it fails again, it could spell the end of Boeing’s involvement in the Commercial Crew Program—potentially forcing NASA to rely solely on SpaceX.

As NASA moves forward, one thing is certain: the future of American space travel is riding on the outcome of this high-stakes bet.