NASA’s new boss blasted Boeing (BA) and the space agency Thursday for their handling of the botched Starliner spacecraft mission that left two astronauts stuck on the International Space Station for months.
NASA released a 300-page report examining the technical and oversight failures behind Starliner’s first crewed flight in 2024, which Administrator Jared Isaacman said showed numerous technical problems, poor communication and management failures before and during the flight, and blamed NASA managers for failing to intervene and return the astronauts home more quickly.
Isaacman upgraded the seriousness of the Starliner flight to a “Type A mishap,” the most severe classification of mission failure and one that could endanger a crew.
It was a mistake that Starliner was not designated a serious mishap right from the start, he said, citing internal pressure to keep Boeing (BA) on board and flights on track.
The Boeing (BA) Starliner, which was launched in June 2024, ran into technical problems shortly after its launch, including helium leaks and the temporary failure of several thrusters; the spacecraft docked with the space station, but NASA ultimately decided to return the astronauts on a SpaceX vehicle after they had spent nine months in space.
The report pointed to Boeing’s (BA) failure to adequately manage system engineering and integration of hardware for Starliner as one of the primary factors behind the mission’s difficulties.
Boeing (BA) said it has made progress correcting technical and cultural problems and is “working closely with NASA to ensure readiness for future Starliner missions.”