When Boeing launched astronauts into space with its Starliner space capsule last June, it was a chance to compete with Elon Musk’s SpaceX company. Instead, the mission turned into another disappointment. Technical problems meant that the astronauts could not fly back in the Boeing space capsule as planned due to safety reasons, but were instead stuck on the ISS space station. A mission that was supposed to only last eight days turned into a forced nine-month stay in space, and in the end the two astronauts returned to Earth on a SpaceX spacecraft as an emergency solution.
As it turned out, failure at that time had significant consequences for the entire Starliner program. American space agencies NASA and Boeing have now announced that there will be no astronauts on the next Starliner flight. Instead, cargo will be transported to the ISS in an unmanned mission that will take place as early as April next year.
Additionally, the number of Starliner missions for NASA was reduced from the original six to four; the other two flights originally planned are now only classified as options. This means that after the next unmanned flight, there are currently only three Starliner missions with astronauts remaining in the program. And time is of the essence, because according to current plans, the ISS is scheduled to be retired in 2030.
Boeing’s Starliner was a critical element in NASA’s landmark manned space program. After the end of space shuttle flights in 2011, US authorities were unable to take astronauts into space for years and had to reserve seats on Russian Soyuz engines for missions to the ISS. In 2014, they awarded separate contracts to Boeing and SpaceX to develop spacecraft for manned missions, both contracts worth billions of dollars each.
NASA initially hoped to launch astronauts into space again in 2017, but as often happens in space travel, the two partners’ projects were delayed. However, SpaceX made faster progress with its Crew Dragon space capsule and completed its first manned test flight in 2020.
This was four years before Boeing reached this point, and unlike Boeing’s failed mission, Musk’s company succeeded in its tests. Since then, SpaceX has carried out a number of regular flights with astronauts to the ISS. The eleventh mission begins in August.
Helium leak
There were several irregularities on Starliner flights last year. Before docking with the ISS, five of the 28 small engines that control the space capsule in space failed. There were also some helium leaks. This gas is used to create pressure in the propulsion system.
NASA and Boeing initially hoped to bring the two astronauts back in the Starliner capsule despite the accident. In the end, it was decided to let the Boeing spacecraft fly again without the astronauts and instead use SpaceX’s Crew Dragon to bring the astronauts home.
Difficulties with the Starliner project cost Boeing a lot of money, and the company was forced to spend billions in special costs. Last year, the Wall Street Journal reported that Boeing was considering exiting the space business as well as the Starliner program. However, this has not happened, at least so far. Space activities are part of Boeing’s defense division.
Despite Boeing’s setbacks, other SpaceX competitors have recently enjoyed greater success. Space company Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos, completed a NASA mission for the first time with a new rocket, and successfully brought the carrier rocket back to Earth safely after launch. This is seen in the industry as an important step towards becoming a serious competitor to SpaceX. Musk’s company successfully performed this maneuver for the first time about a decade ago.
