The Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel’s (ASAP) annual report on NASA’s 2024 mission safety assessment praises the agency’s efforts on the Boeing Starliner mission. However, the paper identifies new problems encountered during the flight. The new data calls into question NASA’s need for additional commercial spacecraft.
Starliner tests
The first manned flight of the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft involved a helium leak, engine failure and malfunctions in the service module. This led to the decision not to return astronauts to Earth because of the risks. The ASAP report praises NASA for its emphasis on crew safety, but points to a lack of clear roles between the agency and contractors.
Specifically, it is indicated that risk decisions were often delegated to private partners whose interests may not always align with NASA’s priorities. There is also concern about making decisions to relax engine requirements without adequate flight or qualification data.
New challenges
In addition to the engine problems, an engine failure was discovered in the crew module after the Starliner returned. If astronauts were on board, this could significantly increase the risks to their lives during re-entry.
Boeing needs to address a number of issues to certify the spacecraft, including finalizing the batteries and landing airbag systems. Boeing has a contract for six flights through 2030, but certification of the spacecraft remains pending.
Comparison with SpaceX
So far, SpaceX has made nine successful flights with Crew Dragon, with the 10th scheduled for March 2025. But Starliner’s delays caused the astronauts to stay longer aboard the ISS. Instead of the planned 8 days, they will spend over 8 months waiting for a new crew to arrive.
Given the future decommissioning of the ISS, ASAP advises NASA to carefully evaluate the risks and benefits of working with commercial partners. However, without Starliner certification, it remains unclear whether Boeing can become a full-fledged second service provider before the ISS mission is completed.
Earlier we reported on how Boeing revealed the financial statistics of the Starliner program.
According to phys.org
