NASA Grounds Boeing Starliner Until 2026 After Test Flight Failures

NASA has grounded Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner until at least 2026 following critical malfunctions during its June 2024 crewed test flight. The mission was cut short due to multiple thruster failures and helium pressurization leaks. NASA decided to bring Starliner back to Earth empty, leaving the astronauts on the ISS for safety. Engineers traced the issues to thermal damage in thruster housings and are now testing fixes, including added insulation. Starliner may require another uncrewed test before resuming crewed flights. Meanwhile, the program has gone billions over budget. Despite setbacks, NASA continues to support Starliner as a needed backup to SpaceX’s Crew Dragon for ISS rotations.