Boeing 'Starliner' Defects Significant... Astronauts Consider Returning on SpaceX

Boeing Starliner Docked at ISS in June
Helium Leak Issue... Astronauts Still Staying
SpaceX 'Crew Dragon' Return Strongly Considered
"High Chance of Confirmation"... Possible Return Around February Next Year
Already Dominant... SpaceX Influence Increasing

Starliner

Concerns over technical defects in Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, which embarked on its first crewed test flight, are growing, leading to serious consideration of astronauts returning aboard competitor SpaceX's spacecraft. If this plan is finalized, SpaceX's market dominance, which is already on a successful trajectory, is expected to become even more solidified.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced on the 7th (local time) that astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who participated in the Starliner flight mission, are being considered to return to Earth aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon. NASA Deputy Administrator Ken Bowersox explained, "Based on the situation over the past one to two weeks, it has become increasingly likely that Starliner will return without carrying astronauts."

Starliner, developed as a crewed spacecraft responsible for NASA's transport missions to and from the International Space Station (ISS) in Earth's orbit, successfully docked with the ISS on June 6 carrying Wilmore and Williams. However, although the original mission was for the two astronauts to stay at the ISS for eight days before returning to Earth aboard Starliner, issues such as helium leaks and thruster malfunctions during the docking process have delayed the Earth return schedule until now.

NASA had stated over the past two months that Starliner's crewed test flight could be successfully completed, but this ultimately acknowledges the severity of the problems. NASA plans to finalize this alternative plan by mid-month at the latest.

If approved by NASA, Starliner is expected to return to Earth via an uncrewed flight in early September. Additionally, Crew Dragon will transport only two astronauts to the ISS instead of the originally planned four. Wilmore and Williams will return to Earth in February next year. The New York Times (NYT) explained that NASA typically sends four astronauts to the ISS every six months to replace the existing crew.

Bloomberg News forecasted that this would be a significant blow to Boeing, which has faced difficulties during Starliner's development process.

Starliner failed its first uncrewed test flight in December 2019 and only succeeded in an uncrewed flight in May 2022, contrasting with Crew Dragon, which completed its crewed test flight in 2020 and began commercialization. Boeing announced on the 1st that Starliner's development costs increased by $125 million. The total cost overruns have reached $1.6 billion since 2016.

If this crewed test flight also ends in failure, the development process will be further extended. Naturally, government reliance on SpaceX is expected to increase. Last year, SpaceX signed a $3.1 billion federal launch prime contract, which is equivalent to the combined contract amounts of nine major companies including Boeing and Northrop Grumman.