NASA backs Boeing Starliner with more crewed flights and funding
The move positions Boeing as a key backup for crewed access to orbit as SpaceX shifts focus to Starship.
NASA has decided to exercise options to buy two more crewed flights on Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft and will also provide funding to help bring the vehicle back to service. The agency is backing Boeing’s search for a replacement launch vehicle because United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket is being phased out. NASA framed these moves as part of its plan to keep reliable crewed access to low-Earth orbit in the coming years. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman noted that SpaceX plans to wind down use of systems like Falcon and Dragon as it focuses on Starship, reinforcing the need for alternative crew transport.
Why it matters
By committing money and missions to Starliner while SpaceX prepares to wind down Falcon and Dragon, NASA is signaling it cannot rely on a single provider for crewed launches to low-Earth orbit. This support helps keep a second transport option alive as Atlas V is phased out, aiming to avoid gaps in US access to orbit while the industry transitions toward new vehicles like Starship.
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Sources
- Ars Technica