NASA Reduces Flights on Boeing's Starliner After Botched Astronaut Mission
(Thursday November 27, 2025 @11:01AM (msmash)
from the holding-accountable dept.)
- Reference: 0180222459
- News link: https://science.slashdot.org/story/25/11/27/0856219/nasa-reduces-flights-on-boeings-starliner-after-botched-astronaut-mission
- Source link:
An anonymous reader shares a report:
> NASA has [1]slashed the number of astronaut missions on Boeing's Starliner contract and said the spacecraft's next mission to the International Space Station will fly without a crew, reducing the scope of a program hobbled by engineering woes and outpaced by SpaceX. The most recent mishap occurred during Starliner's first crewed test flight in 2024, carrying NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams. Several thrusters on Starliner's propulsion system shut down during its approach to the ISS.
[1] https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/nasa-boeing-modify-starliner-contract-reduce-number-missions-2025-11-24/
> NASA has [1]slashed the number of astronaut missions on Boeing's Starliner contract and said the spacecraft's next mission to the International Space Station will fly without a crew, reducing the scope of a program hobbled by engineering woes and outpaced by SpaceX. The most recent mishap occurred during Starliner's first crewed test flight in 2024, carrying NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams. Several thrusters on Starliner's propulsion system shut down during its approach to the ISS.
[1] https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/nasa-boeing-modify-starliner-contract-reduce-number-missions-2025-11-24/
Old Space is Dead Space (Score:5, Insightful)
by greytree ( 7124971 )
Time to face facts and stop propping up the dead parrots.
Money spent on Orion, SLS, Starliner, etc. is just welfare for Boeing and Lockheed Martin employees.
Re: (Score:3)
by RitchCraft ( 6454710 )
The only way to turn these companies around is to lose the bean-counter culture and reinstate engineers at key roles in the companies.
Make more (Score:1)
Can't they just make more of the ones that used to work and improve that design rather than burning up piles of cash reinventing the wheel, badly apparently.
Re: (Score:3)
Which ones are those?
Re: (Score:3)
I don't know, I think I saw them on Battlestar Galactica or something
Re: (Score:1)
Soyuz, presumably.
Re: (Score:2)
Make more what? Dragon capsules? Currently SpaceX has no plans to make any more dragons beyond the five they currently have. I believe the fifth capsule had its inaugural flight this year with the private Axiom-4 excursion. These dragon capsules are currently rated for just five flights each, but SpaceX and NASA are working to extend their certifications to 15 flights each. Currently the contract with SpaceX does not include additional missions that would have been flown by Boeing. While it's possible