In another setback for Boeing’s Starliner program, the company announced another delay in the spacecraft’s expected launch timeline. Now, the first crewed flight with NASA astronauts onboard the Starliner capsule is projected to take off by March 2024. This adjustment comes after the company postponed a launch originally scheduled for this summer.
During a press conference held on August 7, 2023, Boeing VP and Starliner manager, Mark Nappi, revealed the continuing challenges they face with the spacecraft. Chief among these are concerns related to its parachutes and a specific tape used in its assembly.
He further stipulated that the tentative March 2024 launch date hinges on the availability of an Atlas V rocket, supplied by United Launch Alliance, and a slot in NASA’s visiting vehicles schedule. “We’re making good progress, but we’re not ready to launch yet,” stated Nappi, emphasizing that the March 2024 timeframe remains a tentative target.
A significant contender in the space industry, the Starliner is pitted against SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft. Both vehicles are crafted to transport astronauts between Earth and the International Space Station (ISS). In contrast to the Starliner’s yet-to-be-achieved crewed mission, SpaceX’s Crew Dragon has successfully completed two such missions.
Boeing aspires to launch its inaugural crewed Starliner mission timely enough to align with NASA’s objective of two operational commercial crew spacecraft by 2024’s conclusion. Nevertheless, the ongoing delays make it increasingly improbable for Boeing to fulfill this timeline.
The Starliner’s journey so far has been fraught with complications. Its debut test flight in December 2019 was promptly terminated following a software malfunction. Though the subsequent test flight in May 2022 concluded without incident, it was not devoid of issues. Financially, the Starliner program has incurred considerable losses for Boeing, amounting to $1.1 billion.
This setback is in stark contrast to the achievements of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, another spacecraft supported by NASA for ISS missions. Having successfully executed its crew test flight in May 2020, the Crew Dragon’s seventh operational endeavor, Crew-7, is anticipated in the forthcoming weeks.
It’s undeniable that the Starliner represents a formidable hurdle for Boeing. Whether it can surpass its existing issues and establish itself as a dependable vessel for ferrying astronauts to the ISS is a question that only time can answer.
