Uploaded July 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Something about the upcoming starliner mission feels off. And it’s not just a small issue—there’s a growing sense of unease within the space community. Engineers are speaking up. Astronauts are raising questions. And what was supposed to be a symbol of progress now has many wondering: are we heading into dangerous territory again?
First, the Boeing Starliner is supposed to be one of NASA’s two commercial crew spacecraft. The other is SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, which has been flying safely since 2020. NASA originally planned to have two companies so there would always be a backup if something went wrong.
But here’s the problem: Boeing has failed again and again to prove that Starliner is ready.
The Starliner program began with strong backing and high expectations. In 2014, NASA gave Boeing a 4.2 billion U.S. dollar contract to develop a crewed spacecraft for the International Space Station. At the same time, SpaceX received a smaller 2.6 billion U.S. dollar contract for its Crew Dragon. NASA wanted two companies to create competition and ensure it had a backup if one vehicle ran into trouble. Boeing, with decades of experience working with NASA, was seen as the safer bet. Many believed it would finish first. But over the years, that belief would be seriously challenged.
But even though Boeing received more money, it has fallen far behind. Crew Dragon flew its first astronaut mission in 2020. Starliner still hasn’t been approved for regular crew missions.
Starliner’s first uncrewed test flight in 2019 failed to reach the space station. A software bug caused the spacecraft to burn fuel too early, and it missed its target orbit. If astronauts had been onboard, they would have been in serious danger. After that, NASA and Boeing found over 60 different problems that needed to be fixed.
Something about the upcoming starliner mission feels off. And it’s not just a small issue—there’s a growing sense of unease within the space community. Engineers are speaking up. Astronauts are raising questions. And what was supposed to be a symbol of progress now has many wondering: are we heading into dangerous territory again?
First, the Boeing Starliner is supposed to be one of NASA’s two commercial crew spacecraft. The other is SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, which has been flying safely since 2020. NASA originally planned to have two companies so there would always be a backup if something went wrong.
But here’s the problem: Boeing has failed again and again to prove that Starliner is ready.
The Starliner program began with strong backing and high expectations. In 2014, NASA gave Boeing a 4.2 billion U.S. dollar contract to develop a crewed spacecraft for the International Space Station. At the same time, SpaceX received a smaller 2.6 billion U.S. dollar contract for its Crew Dragon. NASA wanted two companies to create competition and ensure it had a backup if one vehicle ran into trouble. Boeing, with decades of experience working with NASA, was seen as the safer bet. Many believed it would finish first. But over the years, that belief would be seriously challenged.
But even though Boeing received more money, it has fallen far behind. Crew Dragon flew its first astronaut mission in 2020. Starliner still hasn’t been approved for regular crew missions.
Starliner’s first uncrewed test flight in 2019 failed to reach the space station. A software bug caused the spacecraft to burn fuel too early, and it missed its target orbit. If astronauts had been onboard, they would have been in serious danger. After that, NASA and Boeing found over 60 different problems that needed to be fixed.
