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Starliner did not stay in space: after propulsion problems during its June 2024 crewed test, NASA sent the spacecraft back to Earth without astronauts. The crew remained aboard the International Space Station and returned months later on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon. Boeing’s original NASA contract was larger, but the comparable 2014 awards were $4.2 billion for Boeing and $2.6 billion for SpaceX—a ratio of about 1.6 to 1, not a precise two-to-one comparison.
What happened to Starliner and its crew?
Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner and SpaceX’s Crew Dragon were developed through NASA’s Commercial Crew Program to carry astronauts to and from the International Space Station (ISS). NASA buys transportation through service contracts while the companies own and operate their spacecraft.
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Starliner launched on June 5, 2024, on a crewed test flight planned to last eight to 14 days. Propulsion anomalies prolonged the mission to 93 days. NASA chose to return the spacecraft without its crew; it landed at White Sands Space Harbor in September 2024. Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams stayed on the ISS and returned to Earth aboard SpaceX’s Crew-9 in March 2025.
So “stuck in space” is a misleading shorthand: Starliner itself came home in 2024. The astronauts’ stay was extended while NASA arranged their return on another vehicle.
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Did Boeing’s contract cost twice as much?
Not on the most directly comparable figures. NASA awarded fixed-price Commercial Crew contracts in 2014 worth $4.2 billion to Boeing and $2.6 billion to SpaceX, according to NASA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) in its 2026 review. That makes Boeing’s initial award about 1.6 times SpaceX’s, rather than exactly twice as large.
The OIG says the combined contract value later exceeded $8 billion after modifications and additional resources. That figure excludes several billion dollars of additional resources, so it is not simply a final, all-in cost for each spacecraft. The OIG also reports that NASA spent an additional $17 million to accelerate SpaceX flights that had originally been planned for Starliner. These figures describe NASA program and contract spending, not a unit price for one spacecraft or one mission.
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| Measure | Boeing Starliner | SpaceX Crew Dragon |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 NASA fixed-price contract award | $4.2 billion (NASA OIG, 2026 review) | $2.6 billion (NASA OIG, 2026 review) |
| Combined contract value after modifications | More than $8 billion combined; excludes several billion dollars of additional resources (NASA OIG, 2026 review) | |
| Additional spending to accelerate flights | NASA spent $17 million to accelerate SpaceX flights originally planned for Starliner (NASA OIG, 2026 review) | |
Which spacecraft is certified to carry astronauts?
Crew Dragon
NASA OIG reports that SpaceX received human-rating certification for Crew Dragon and Falcon 9 in 2020. By the OIG’s 2026 review, Crew Dragon had completed 12 crewed missions.
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At the time of the OIG’s 2026 review, Boeing had not obtained human-rating certification for Starliner and Atlas V. The OIG estimated Starliner certification was likely no earlier than 2027. Starliner-1 was planned as an uncrewed cargo flight before certification.
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Certification status is the clearest distinction between the systems in the OIG review: Crew Dragon was certified and flying crewed missions, while Starliner still had to complete its path to certification. The 2027 date is an estimate, not a confirmed certification date.
Why did NASA classify the Starliner test as a mishap?
On February 19, 2026, NASA formally classified the Crew Flight Test as a Type A mishap. The agency’s investigation described “an interplay of combined hardware failures, qualification gaps, leadership missteps, and cultural breakdowns” that created conditions inconsistent with NASA human-spaceflight safety standards.
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The OIG’s 2026 review also identified helium leaks, propulsion failures and parachute anomalies in Starliner flight tests. NASA’s investigation produced 61 corrective recommendations for future crewed Starliner missions. These findings explain why NASA opted not to carry the astronauts back aboard the spacecraft; they do not mean that Starliner remained in orbit after the crew departed.
How do the two systems compare on the evidence available?
| Comparison | Starliner | Crew Dragon |
|---|---|---|
| NASA human-rating certification | Not obtained by the 2026 OIG review; likely no earlier than 2027 in the OIG estimate (NASA OIG, 2026) | Certified with Falcon 9 in 2020 (NASA OIG, 2026) |
| Crewed missions completed | Not stated as a comparable cumulative figure in the cited OIG summary | 12 by the 2026 OIG review |
| Noted flight-test issues | Helium leaks, propulsion failures and parachute anomalies (NASA OIG, 2026) | Not stated in the cited OIG summary |
| Crew Flight Test duration | 93 days, following propulsion anomalies (NASA, 2026) | Not stated as a comparable figure |
| Return plan for Wilmore and Williams | Starliner returned uncrewed in September 2024 | The astronauts returned on Crew-9 in March 2025 |
The evidence supports saying Crew Dragon had a certified, established crewed-flight record while Starliner remained uncertified and its test exposed significant problems. It does not support describing any spacecraft as working “perfectly”; the cited review does not establish that as a technical finding.
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- 1/233 Scale Precision Diecast Collectible Model Set.
- Includes：Dragon ROCKET MODEL + Strongback /Transpoter Erector .
- First-stage super heavy-duty booster is made of precise aluminum alloy tubes. Other parts constructed with High-quality imported laser-formed photosensitive resin-it rocket material.
- Extremely good laser shapeability & long-lasting shelf life.
- Height：32CM (core diameter is 24mm,rocket diameter is 9 meters ) Perfect addition to your home or office.
What the comparison means for ISS access
NASA’s use of two commercial providers was intended to give it transportation options for the ISS. In practice, during this Starliner test, NASA relied on Crew Dragon to return Wilmore and Williams after deciding against a crewed Starliner landing. At the time of the OIG’s review, Starliner’s uncrewed cargo flight was planned to come before certification, leaving Crew Dragon as the certified option among these two systems for crewed service.
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