NASA has announced a significant change to its Boeing Starliner program

It has revealed Sunita Williams, Barry "Butch" Wilmore will return in February 2025

Technical issues have made a crewed return too risky

NASA has announced a significant change to its Boeing Starliner program, revealing that astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore will now return to Earth aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft in February 2025. Originally, the plan was for the astronauts to return on the Starliner capsule; however, technical issues with the spacecraft’s propulsion system have made a crewed return too risky.

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The decision comes after the Starliner, which launched on June 5 with Williams and Wilmore aboard, experienced multiple thruster malfunctions and helium leaks shortly after docking with the International Space Station (ISS). What was initially an eight-day test mission has been extended into a months-long stay due to these complications.

In light of the technical problems, NASA has opted to bring the Starliner back to Earth uncrewed in early September. This unmanned flight will provide NASA and Boeing with crucial data on the spacecraft’s reentry and landing performance without jeopardizing astronaut safety. The move represents a major setback for Boeing’s Starliner program, which has encountered numerous challenges and delays since its inception.

This latest development underscores ongoing concerns about Starliner’s reliability and highlights the increasing reliance on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon for NASA’s crewed missions. NASA and Boeing will continue to analyze the issues to ensure the safety of future missions.