NASA Releases Report on Starliner Crewed Flight Test Investigation

Findings reveal technical issues, leadership missteps, and cultural breakdowns that contributed to mission challenges.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

NASA has released a report examining the issues encountered during the Boeing CST-100 Starliner's crewed flight test to the International Space Station in 2024. The report identifies an interplay of hardware failures, qualification gaps, leadership missteps, and cultural breakdowns that created safety risks. As a result, NASA has classified the test flight as a Type A mishap and is working with Boeing to address the findings and ensure lessons learned contribute to the safety of future Starliner flights.

Why it matters

The Starliner spacecraft is a critical part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, which aims to provide redundant capabilities for transporting astronauts to and from the International Space Station. The issues encountered during the test flight highlight the importance of rigorous safety standards and effective oversight, especially for high-profile space missions.

The details

The Starliner spacecraft launched on its first crewed test flight to the ISS on June 5, 2024, with NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams on board. The mission was originally planned for 8-14 days but was extended to 93 days after propulsion system anomalies were identified. NASA ultimately decided to return the spacecraft without the astronauts, who later safely returned to Earth aboard a SpaceX mission. An independent investigation team was chartered to examine the technical, organizational, and cultural factors that contributed to the issues.

  • Starliner launched on its first crewed test flight to the ISS on June 5, 2024.
  • The mission was originally planned for 8-14 days but was extended to 93 days.
  • Starliner returned from the space station in September 2024, landing at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico.
  • Wilmore and Williams later returned safely to Earth aboard the agency's SpaceX's Crew-9 mission in March 2025.
  • NASA chartered an independent Program Investigation Team in February 2025 to investigate the test flight issues.

The players

NASA

The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the government agency responsible for the nation's civilian space program, aeronautics, and space research.

Boeing

An American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, and telecommunications equipment, as well as provides leasing and product support services.

Butch Wilmore

A NASA astronaut who was one of the two crew members on the Starliner's crewed flight test.

Suni Williams

A NASA astronaut who was one of the two crew members on the Starliner's crewed flight test.

Jared Isaacman

The current NASA Administrator.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“The Boeing Starliner spacecraft has faced challenges throughout its uncrewed and most recent crewed missions. While Boeing built Starliner, NASA accepted it and launched two astronauts to space. The technical difficulties encountered during docking with the International Space Station were very apparent.”

— Jared Isaacman, NASA Administrator (nasa.gov)

“To undertake missions that change the world, we must be transparent about both our successes and our shortcomings. We have to own our mistakes and ensure they never happen again. Beyond technical issues, it is clear that NASA permitted overarching programmatic objectives of having two providers capable of transporting astronauts to-and-from orbit, influence engineering and operational decisions, especially during and immediately after the mission. We are correcting those mistakes.”

— Jared Isaacman, NASA Administrator (nasa.gov)

What’s next

NASA and Boeing will continue to work together to fully understand and solve the technical challenges with the Starliner vehicle, and incorporate the investigative recommendations before flying the next mission.

The takeaway

The Starliner crewed flight test investigation highlights the importance of rigorous safety standards, effective oversight, and transparency in high-profile space missions. NASA is taking corrective actions to address the findings and ensure lessons learned contribute to the safety of future Starliner flights and all NASA programs.