NASA announced a live briefing for 3 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 28, to update the public on the status of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. The conference, streamed by WESH 2, will feature NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, Low Earth Orbit Program manager Dana Weigel, astronaut Woody Hoburg, and Boeing Commercial Crew vice president John Mulholland.
Audit findings and program delays
An Inspector General audit released in February 2026 classified the June 2024 crewed Starliner flight as a Type A mishap, the agency’s most serious category, due to helium leaks and thruster failures that forced an early return to Earth. The audit traced six years of additional delays to testing problems that began in 2020 and noted that unresolved propulsion issues remain as of March 2026.
Funding and competition
NASA’s original commercial crew contracts allocated about $4.2 billion to Boeing for Starliner and $2.6 billion to SpaceX for Crew Dragon. SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell recently emphasized that the government has already invested heavily in Boeing’s capsule and urged that Boeing be allowed to begin using the vehicle for astronaut transport.
Future flight plans
The next Starliner mission, Starliner‑1, is slated as an uncrewed cargo flight. Certification for crewed operations could be delayed until 2027, according to the audit. Additionally, the report warned that NASA lacks enough contracted flights to keep the International Space Station fully staffed through 2030, indicating a need for additional missions from either Boeing or SpaceX.
What’s next
During the upcoming briefing, officials are expected to outline steps to address the technical issues, discuss the revised certification schedule, and provide a roadmap for restoring regular crewed flights to the space station.
Original reporting: WESH Orlando — read the source article.
