NASA has not set a launch date for the Starliner-1 mission and continues to assess flight opportunities for the Boeing spacecraft.
The delay persists as the agency works to resolve technical problems identified during the June 2024 [3] Crew Flight Test mission. Ensuring the safety of the CST-100 Starliner is critical for maintaining a reliable rotation of personnel, and supplies to the International Space Station.
A NASA official said work with Boeing on the vehicle is making "good progress" [1]. However, the agency has not yet committed to a specific timeframe for the next flight [4].
Some reports indicate the Starliner-1 cargo mission will not launch before the fourth quarter of 2026 [1]. This would mark the third schedule slip [1] since the program underwent a contract restructure in November 2025 [1].
Boeing and NASA must resolve the issues that surfaced during the 2024 test flight before the vehicle can be cleared for future missions [3, 5]. The uncertainty regarding the launch window comes as available slots for the International Space Station narrow before the station's eventual deorbit.
While NASA continues to collaborate with Boeing, the agency has declined to provide a firm date for the return to flight [4]. The process remains focused on the assessment of flight opportunities, and the rectification of previous technical failures.
“NASA has not set a launch date for the Starliner-1 mission”
The continued uncertainty surrounding the Starliner-1 timeline underscores the difficulty of correcting the systemic issues found during the 2024 flight test. Because NASA relies on a redundant system of spacecraft to ferry crew and cargo, Boeing's delays increase the operational pressure on other providers and limit the flexibility of International Space Station scheduling as the station nears its end-of-life phase.
