NASA has postponed the next potential flight of Boeing Co. (NYSE:BA)’s Starliner spacecraft to 2026. This delay affects a crucial milestone for the vehicle, which is intended to be an alternative to SpaceX‘s Dragon spacecraft.
What Happened: NASA had initially indicated that Starliner’s next mission to the International Space Station (ISS) might occur by the end of this year. However, NASA is still determining whether the upcoming flight will include astronauts or only cargo, according to a report by Bloomberg.
The delay underscores NASA’s dependence on SpaceX and its CEO, Elon Musk. Musk recently threatened to decommission the Dragon spacecraft amid a public dispute with President Donald Trump, but later confirmed it would remain operational.
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Starliner, the sole U.S. alternative for crew transport to the ISS, has faced challenges. A failed test flight in 2024 left two astronauts stranded on the ISS for over nine months, and the vehicle has yet to be certified for human transport. Due to engine issues with Starliner, NASA relied on SpaceX’s Dragon to return the astronauts safely.
Why It Matters: The delay in Starliner’s flight is part of a series of setbacks for Boeing (NYSE:BA) and its spacecraft program. The company has already invested over $2 billion in the Starliner project, which has been plagued by technical issues and financial overruns.
These challenges have made the Starliner one of the most expensive commercial space missions ever.
In March 2025, NASA and Boeing were reportedly working to resolve the technical issues and move forward with crew certification. However, the ongoing troubles have led Boeing to consider selling its Starliner and NASA operations in October 2024.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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