NASA plans unpiloted Starliner test flight after astronauts got stuck at space station in 2024

Key Points:

• NASA and Boeing plan to launch an unpiloted Starliner test flight between December and January to validate upgrades addressing propulsion system failures from a 2024 mission that stranded astronauts on the ISS for over nine months.
• If successful, a piloted Starliner mission commanded by astronaut Warren "Woody" Hoburg is targeted for mid-2028, featuring redesigned propulsion valves, enhanced subsystems, and other safety modifications.
• NASA aims to restore Boeing's Starliner as a second U.S. crew transport option alongside SpaceX's Crew Dragon to ensure sustained astronaut access to the ISS through 2030 and support future commercial space stations in the 2030s.
• The 2024 Starliner mission experienced multiple thruster failures and helium leaks, leading to a 286-day flight instead of the planned 10 days; an independent review identified major design and redundancy issues now being addressed by Boeing.
• United Launch Alliance's Atlas 5 rockets, currently used by Starliner, are being phased out, prompting NASA and ULA to certify the new Vulcan rocket for future Starliner launches to maintain long-term human spaceflight capabilities.