After being sidelined, Boeing's Starliner to get starring role in NASA's spaceflight plans

Key Points:

• NASA plans to order two additional crewed Starliner missions from Boeing, provide funding to fix thruster issues, and support certification of a new launch vehicle as SpaceX signals retirement of Crew Dragon by 2030.
• SpaceX's Crew Dragon, the only operational spacecraft for routine astronaut missions to low-Earth orbit, will be phased out as the company pivots to its Starship rocket and other projects, with no commitment to extend Dragon flights beyond 2030.
• Boeing's Starliner has faced significant challenges, including thruster malfunctions and a near-catastrophic crew flight in 2024, leading NASA to classify the incident as a serious mishap and share blame for decision-making failures.
• NASA aims to maintain a human spaceflight capability beyond 2030 despite Starliner's troubled history, partly due to limited alternatives and the need to support emerging private space stations lacking reliable crew transportation options.
• Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket and crew vehicle remain a potential future option, with Starliner possibly flying on New Glenn to aid certification and infrastructure development, though this is still years and billions of dollars away from realization.