NASA chief classifies Starliner flight as "Type A" mishap, says agency made mistakes
Ars Technica • • general
Key Points:
- NASA has officially classified the 2024 crewed Starliner spacecraft flight as a “Type A” mishap, acknowledging it as a serious failure due to propulsion system leaks and thruster failures during the mission.
- NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman took significant accountability, criticizing both Boeing and NASA’s leadership and decision-making, and released a detailed 311-page internal report highlighting systemic issues beyond hardware problems.
- Despite initial public support for returning astronauts Wilmore and Williams on Starliner, NASA ultimately decided to bring them back on a SpaceX Crew Dragon after recognizing the significant control risks faced during the mission.
- Investigations revealed that earlier thruster failures in a 2022 uncrewed Starliner flight were insufficiently analyzed, contributing to the 202
