Starliner Mishap: NASA’s Full Disclosure

NASA has classified the recent Boeing CST-100 Starliner crewed test flight to the International Space Station (ISS) as a Type A mishap, the most severe category under the agency’s guidelines. This announcement was made during a press conference where NASA disclosed findings from a comprehensive investigation into the spacecraft’s challenges.

The Starliner, which launched on June 5, 2024, encountered significant propulsion system issues while in orbit, leading to an unexpected extension of its mission from a planned maximum of 14 days to 93 days. Despite these challenges, astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams returned safely to Earth in March 2025 via a SpaceX Crew-9 mission.

A Program Investigation Team, initiated by NASA in February 2025, identified multiple factors contributing to the mishap. These included hardware failures, qualification gaps, leadership errors, and cultural issues. The investigation underscores the complexity of space missions and the critical need for rigorous testing and leadership accountability.

NASA’s Administrator Jared Isaacman emphasized the necessity of transparency and learning from the incident to enhance future missions. Both NASA and Boeing are now focused on addressing the identified issues, with ongoing technical analysis and planned corrective actions aimed at safeguarding crew safety and mission success in future Starliner flights.

For more detailed information, the full investigation report, with certain redactions for proprietary reasons, is available on NASA’s official website.