The modified agreement between the companies follows the failed Boeing Crew Flight Test that saw NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams unable to return to Earth for 286 days, after what was meant to be an eight-day mission, due to multiple thrusters on the spacecraft’s propulsion system failing.
Following internal reviews and evaluations, the refined “mutually agreed” contract will see Boeing conduct up to four missions, with the potential for the remaining two as optional, NASA said in a statement.
These amendments to the original contract now place the value of Boeing’s contract to approximately $3.7 billion.
“This modification allows NASA and Boeing to focus on safely certifying the system in 2026, execute Starliner’s first crew rotation when ready and align our ongoing flight planning for future Starliner missions based on the station’s operational needs through 2030,” the manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, Steve Stich, said in a statement.
In 2014, NASA also awarded Elon Musk’s SpaceX with a $2.6 billion contract to build space transportation systems for astronauts going to and from the International Space Station.
This downsize of the Boeing contract positions SpaceX as the potentially favoured manufacturer for future mission contracts, with Musk’s company currently performing stronger in the face of delays, high costs and technical shortcomings of Boeing.
“Boeing remains committed to supporting NASA’s goal of sustained human presence in low-Earth orbit through the ongoing development and certification of the Starliner spacecraft,” a Boeing spokesperson said.
“Safety remains our highest priority as we focus on the Starliner-1 mission, which incorporates our findings and learnings from previous flight tests and testing this fall.”
The next planned Starliner flight, named Starliner-1, will see cargo delivery to the orbital laboratory, rather than astronauts, and depends on the “completion of rigorous test, certification and mission readiness activities”, the space agency said.
“NASA and Boeing are continuing to rigorously test the Starliner propulsion system in preparation for two potential flights next year,” Stich said.
The flight is scheduled for April 2026.