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NASA, Boeing Set Starliner-1 Uncrewed Cargo Flight for December 2026

By Drooid · Sep 29, 2026, 2:36 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

NASA Schedules Starliner Flight

NASA and Boeing scheduled an uncrewed Starliner-1 cargo flight for December 2026.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced the mission during a Kennedy Space Center briefing.
The mission will test seals, larger tolerances, and corrosion-control to address 2024 helium leaks and thruster failures.
Boeing added thermal modifications, new crew-module thrusters, upgraded batteries, and parachute improvements.
NASA is providing $359 million to implement upgrades and certify ULA’s Vulcan rocket for later flights.

Summary

Watkins Leads Crew-13

Jessica Watkins will command SpaceX Crew-13, the first NASA astronaut to launch twice on a Dragon.
The crew entered quarantine on Sept. 17 at Johnson Space Center, a practice dating to Apollo.
Launch is set for no earlier than 11:10 a.m. Oct. 1 from Space Launch Complex 40, Cape Canaveral.
After docking, Crew-13 will join Expedition 75 for a multi-month science increment.
Scientists will conduct stem-cell tissue studies to aid heart disease and Parkinson’s research.

History

Historical Context

In 1975, NASA’s Apollo–Soyuz Test Project docked an American Apollo command module with a Soviet Soyuz, demonstrating reliable crewed spacecraft integration. The mission cost $382 million, involved 12 astronauts and cosmonauts, and required extensive thermal-control upgrades to prevent coolant leaks during flight. Today, NASA funds Boeing’s $359 million Starliner-1 upgrades and launches SpaceX’s Crew-13, commanded by Jessica Watkins, echoing the 1975 docking milestone. These parallel efforts aim to secure continuous commercial crew access and prevent repeat failures, shaping the next decade of low-Earth-orbit operations.

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NASA Schedules Starliner Flight

NASA and Boeing scheduled an uncrewed Starliner-1 cargo flight for December 2026.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced the mission during a Kennedy Space Center briefing.
The mission will test seals, larger tolerances, and corrosion-control to address 2024 helium leaks and thruster failures.
Boeing added thermal modifications, new crew-module thrusters, upgraded batteries, and parachute improvements.
NASA is providing $359 million to implement upgrades and certify ULA’s Vulcan rocket for later flights.

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