Full Breakdown
NASA Looks to Boeing Starliner as SpaceX Crew Dragon Nears Retirement
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: NASA’s Shift Toward Starliner for Future Crew Flights
NASA is actively discussing the use of Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner for “10 or more” upcoming crewed missions after SpaceX indicated it will retire its Crew Dragon spacecraft before the end of the decade. The agency’s talks, reported on September 18, aim to keep a domestic launch capability for the International Space Station (ISS) and a sustained low-Earth-orbit presence once Dragon exits service.
Background & Context
In 2014 NASA selected both SpaceX and Boeing under the Commercial Crew Transportation Capability contract to end reliance on Russia’s Soyuz spacecraft after the shuttle program ended. SpaceX’s Crew Dragon completed 13 crewed ISS missions, beginning with Demo-2 in May 2020. Boeing’s Starliner suffered a high-profile crewed test flight in June 2024, during which helium leaks and thruster malfunctions forced the capsule to return empty, leaving astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams on the ISS for nine months. The mission was later classified as a “Type A” failure.
Data & Statistics
- Boeing’s Starliner program incurred total financial losses exceeding $2 billion in 2025.
- The Commercial Crew contract awarded Boeing $4.2 billion, compared with $2.6 billion for SpaceX.
- NASA recently awarded SpaceX a $946 million contract for three additional ISS crew flights, extending the agreement through 2030.
Official Statements & Responses
SpaceX President and CEO Gwynne Shotwell, speaking on the All-In podcast, emphasized that Boeing “should fly their capsule” because the government has already funded its development.
Verbatim Quotes
- “They should fly their capsule. The government paid a lot of money for that. They should be able to use it,” — Gwynne Shotwell, president and CEO
- “We’re not retiring it today, for sure,” — Gwynne Shotwell, president and CEO
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
NASA originally selected Starliner for up to six missions, yet current discussions reference “10 or more” flights, indicating a potential expansion of the program’s scope that has not been formally confirmed. Additionally, while the agency announced a $946 million contract extension for SpaceX, it has not yet disclosed a definitive timeline for certifying Starliner’s crewed flights, leaving the exact schedule for the proposed missions uncertain.
What’s Next
NASA plans to announce details of the Starliner mission schedule in the coming weeks. The agency is also expected to outline funding commitments for fixing the spacecraft’s thruster issues and to decide whether future launches will use United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan or another heavy-lift vehicle. These decisions will shape the United States’ ability to maintain continuous crewed access to the ISS and to support upcoming low-Earth-orbit initiatives beyond 2030.