DavidKeys.com

NASA and Boeing have announced a new development plan for the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, setting the stage for another important test flight and potentially returning astronauts to the spacecraft in 2028.

The announcement, made September 28, 2026, outlines additional Starliner missions, spacecraft modifications and plans to certify a new rocket for future crew transportation to low Earth orbit. (NASA)

Starliner-1 Will Fly Without Astronauts

The next Starliner mission, known as Starliner-1, will be an uncrewed flight to the International Space Station (ISS).

NASA says the mission could launch as early as December 2026 or January 2027. Rather than carrying astronauts, Starliner-1 will serve as an engineering evaluation mission designed to test modifications made after problems encountered during Starliner’s 2024 crewed flight.

The mission will gather additional data on the spacecraft’s propulsion system, thermal environment and overall performance before NASA considers returning astronauts to Starliner. (NASA)

NASA says the flight will be particularly important for validating improvements to the spacecraft and identifying any remaining risks before crewed missions resume.

Starliner-2 Could Carry Astronauts in 2028

If the uncrewed test and subsequent certification work are successful, NASA currently plans to return astronauts aboard Starliner-2 in 2028.

NASA’s plan calls for the agency and Boeing to use the results from Starliner-1 to complete additional corrective actions and testing required for crewed-flight certification. (NASA)

The 2028 target represents a significant milestone for Boeing’s Commercial Crew program, which was created to provide NASA with multiple U.S. spacecraft capable of transporting astronauts to and from low Earth orbit.

NASA Plans Additional Starliner Missions

NASA also said it intends to exercise options for a fifth and sixth Starliner flight to and from the International Space Station.

That means Starliner is being positioned not simply as a spacecraft undergoing another test, but as part of NASA’s longer-term strategy for maintaining multiple crew transportation options.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said the agency intends to continue working with Boeing to address problems identified during previous Starliner flights and eventually return the spacecraft to regular service. (NASA)

Major Changes Are Coming to Starliner’s Propulsion System

One of the most important areas of the Starliner development program involves its propulsion system.

During the spacecraft’s 2024 Crew Flight Test, NASA identified problems involving Starliner’s service-module reaction-control thrusters. NASA’s investigation determined that the thrusters had been operating outside their engineering qualification and that their performance problems involved a combination of thermal conditions and design characteristics. (NASA)

Boeing has since made thermal modifications to the service module.

NASA and Boeing have also agreed to implement an additional thruster valve design modification as part of the spacecraft’s certification process.

The modification is intended to address a problem involving poppet-seal extrusion and its potential effect on thruster performance. (NASA)

More Starliner Upgrades Planned

The propulsion system isn’t the only area receiving attention.

Boeing plans to make several additional changes to the spacecraft, including:

• New crew-module thrusters
• New batteries
• Modifications to the parachute system
• Additional propulsion-system changes
• Improvements intended to increase spacecraft performance and reliability

NASA will use the upcoming Starliner-1 mission to evaluate many of these improvements before astronauts return to the spacecraft. (NASA)

Vulcan Could Become Starliner’s Future Rocket

Another major part of the plan involves the rocket that launches Starliner.

NASA and Boeing currently intend to work with United Launch Alliance (ULA) to certify the Vulcan rocket for Starliner crew missions following the final flight of the Atlas V.

This is important because Starliner has historically flown on Atlas V rockets. Moving toward Vulcan would provide a path for Starliner to continue operating after Atlas V’s retirement. (NASA)

Why Starliner Matters to NASA

NASA’s Commercial Crew Program is designed to maintain U.S. capability to transport astronauts to low Earth orbit.

SpaceX’s Crew Dragon currently provides regular crew transportation to the International Space Station, while NASA has continued working toward making Starliner another operational option.

Having multiple spacecraft gives NASA additional flexibility for future ISS missions and the transition toward commercial space stations.

NASA has also emphasized the importance of maintaining crew transportation capabilities as the agency prepares for the eventual transition away from the International Space Station. (NASA)

What Happened During Starliner’s 2024 Crew Flight?

Starliner’s first crewed test flight launched astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams toward the International Space Station in June 2024.

The spacecraft experienced propulsion-related problems during the mission. NASA ultimately decided to return Starliner to Earth without its crew, while Wilmore and Williams returned aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft.

The experience led NASA to conduct a detailed investigation. The resulting Program Investigation Team report identified 61 recommendations addressing technical and programmatic issues that needed to be addressed. (NASA)

The upcoming Starliner-1 mission is intended to demonstrate that important corrective actions have been implemented before astronauts fly again.

A New Chapter for Boeing Starliner

The latest NASA-Boeing announcement gives Starliner a defined path forward: an uncrewed test mission potentially beginning as soon as late 2026, additional spacecraft modifications, rocket certification work and a potential crewed mission in 2028.

The plan does not mean Starliner has completed certification. Instead, Starliner-1 is specifically intended to provide additional engineering data and demonstrate that the spacecraft’s improvements perform as expected.

For Boeing, NASA and the broader commercial space industry, the upcoming test flight could therefore become one of the most closely watched Starliner missions yet.

The Bottom Line

NASA and Boeing are moving forward with Starliner’s development rather than abandoning the spacecraft. The next major milestone is an uncrewed Starliner-1 mission, potentially in December 2026 or January 2027.

NASA currently expects Starliner-2 to carry astronauts in 2028, provided the spacecraft completes the required testing and certification.

The program’s next phase will focus heavily on propulsion-system improvements, thermal performance, reliability and certification. If those efforts are successful, Starliner could become an important part of NASA’s long-term strategy for maintaining U.S. human spaceflight capabilities in low Earth orbit. (NASA)