NASA announced that the next launch of the Boeing Starliner spacecraft will be a cargo mission and will proceed without a crew. The decision was made after extensive technical reviews and a re-evaluation of the program's future missions. This was reported by UNN.
Details
NASA confirmed that the Starliner-1 mission will launch no earlier than April 2026, after all tests and certification are completed.
NASA and Boeing continue to rigorously test the Starliner propulsion system in preparation for two potential flights next year
Contract Review and Plan Changes
The agency and Boeing have amended the 2014 contract: instead of six crewed missions, a Starliner-1 cargo flight and up to three subsequent launches are now planned before the ISS ceases operations.
This modification allows... to align our flight planning based on the station's needs until 2030
Chronic problems of the spacecraft
Starliner has been delayed dozens of times due to technical malfunctions. In 2019, the first flight was disrupted by software problems, and in 2022, although the spacecraft reached the ISS, it did so with engine malfunctions.
In 2024, during the first crewed mission with astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, Starliner again encountered serious malfunctions. NASA decided to return the spacecraft uncrewed.
Why another test launch is needed
Due to the loss of some data after the service module detached, NASA is forced to conduct another uncrewed flight to finally verify the engine's operation. The agency promises to disclose details of the system's modernization closer to the 2026 launch.