Boeing Starliner Faces Decade Delay for NASA ISS Flights

NASA's inspector general released an audit on Tuesday suggesting that Boeing's Starliner crew capsule is unlikely to be certified for operational flights to the International Space Station (ISS) until 2025. This certification timeline places Starliner just three years before NASA's planned retirement of the ISS in 2030, although congressional lawmakers are advocating for an extension to 2032. The audit highlights that if Starliner is declared ready for regular crew rotation flights next year, it would represent a decade-long delay from its initial target of 2017. The inspector general's report included six recommendations, all of which NASA officials have agreed to implement. These recommendations focus on establishing a clear schedule for the next Starliner flight and subsequent crew missions. A key directive is to ensure this schedule adequately accounts for the time needed to fully resolve and document all issues identified during Starliner's first test flight with astronauts in 2024. The audit aims to bring greater clarity and accountability to the Commercial Crew Program, particularly concerning the readiness and operational deployment of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft for its critical role in supporting the ISS.