NASA’s September 2026 contract update keeps Boeing’s Starliner in the agency’s crew-transportation plan, but it does not establish that NASA “saved” Boeing’s broader space program. NASA intends to restore options for Starliner’s fifth and sixth flights and pursue certification of ULA’s Vulcan rocket for crew use. The estimated $359 million covers spacecraft upgrades and new rocket certification, according to NASA program manager Dana Weigel as reported by the Associated Press; it is not stated as the total cost of Starliner or as an amount already paid to Boeing.
What NASA changed in the Starliner contract
On September 28, 2026, NASA said it intends to exercise options for Starliner’s fifth and sixth crew flights. The options had remained available after a November 2025 contract change. NASA also plans to work with Boeing and United Launch Alliance (ULA) to certify ULA’s Vulcan rocket for crew transportation after Atlas V’s final flight. NASA describes the announcement as an update, not a wholly new contract. NASA’s announcement and Boeing’s summary outline the changes.
The options and certification work support NASA’s aim to maintain more than one U.S. transportation system for crews traveling to the International Space Station and, eventually, commercial destinations. NASA’s Commercial Crew program buys transportation services from private companies rather than operating a government-owned fleet. NASA’s Commercial Crew overview describes that model.
What the $359 million estimate means
The Associated Press reported that Dana Weigel, NASA’s Low Earth Orbit Program manager, put the extra cost of Starliner upgrades and new rocket certification at $359 million. NASA’s own September release describes the work but does not give that dollar figure. The available reporting does not establish that NASA has already paid the amount, that it is a payment solely to Boeing, or that it represents the entire Starliner program cost. The AP report supplies the estimate and attribution.
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Other figures connected to Starliner concern separate events and should not be added to the $359 million estimate. NASA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) said NASA spent an extra $17 million to accelerate SpaceX flights originally planned for Starliner. NASA said the 2024 Crew Flight Test lasted 93 days, compared with its originally planned duration of eight to 14 days; its investigation produced 61 recommendations. Those figures describe distinct costs, flight duration, and investigation findings. The OIG’s June 2026 summary discusses the added spending and certification risks; NASA’s release summarizes the investigation.
What work remains before Starliner carries astronauts again
NASA’s current plan starts with an uncrewed Starliner-1 flight to the International Space Station in December 2026 or January 2027. NASA says the flight is intended to validate improvements and gather data needed for certification. A crewed Starliner-2 is planned by 2028, conditional on successful testing and certification. These are targets, not guaranteed launch dates. NASA’s mission plan makes clear that Starliner-1 will not carry astronauts.
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The technical changes span work already completed and work still planned. NASA says thermal modifications have been made to the service module; other items form part of the continuing certification path. Boeing’s contract summary gives the detailed list of planned spacecraft modifications:
- Replace valves on all 12 crew-module reaction-control thrusters and add corrosion-prevention measures.
- Redesign service-module thruster poppets.
- Record thruster-chamber pressure more frequently.
- Improve a parachute-joint design.
- Integrate upgraded batteries provided by NASA.
The distinction matters: NASA’s announcement does not mean every listed modification is complete, and the uncrewed flight is intended to generate evidence before crewed service resumes. NASA program manager Dana Weigel said the agency would test propulsion using “targeted demonstration objectives and disciplined operational controls,” with crew and public safety as its highest priority. Boeing’s summary describes its contract work; NASA’s release describes the certification path.
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Why NASA continues to back Starliner despite the risks
NASA’s stated reason is resilience: maintaining another U.S. option for transporting crews to low Earth orbit and the ISS. But Starliner is not yet certified, and the technical and schedule risks remain material. The OIG’s June 2026 summary reported helium leaks, propulsion failures, parachute anomalies, years of delays, and oversight problems. At that time, the OIG estimated certification would be no earlier than 2027. NASA’s later September plan targets a crewed Starliner-2 by 2028, so the OIG date is an earlier estimate, not NASA’s current crewed-flight target. The OIG summary details these concerns.
The 2024 Crew Flight Test helps explain why additional validation is required. Launched June 5, 2024, it lasted 93 days and ended with Starliner returning without its crew. NASA’s investigation found service-module reaction-control thrusters had operated outside engineering qualification; thermal conditions and design features contributed to poor performance. NASA described an interplay of hardware failures, qualification gaps, leadership missteps, and cultural breakdowns, and identified 61 recommendations. Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams returned to Earth on SpaceX Crew-9 in March 2025. NASA later classified the flight as a Type A mishap. NASA’s investigation announcement gives the findings; NASA’s 2026 update summarizes the investigation and its recommendations.
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How Starliner compares with Crew Dragon in NASA’s plan
NASA’s two relevant U.S. crew-transportation systems are at very different stages. The OIG’s June 2026 account said Crew Dragon was certified in 2020 and had flown 12 crewed missions, while Starliner remained uncertified. NASA’s current Starliner plan still depends on further validation and certification. The OIG summary provides the dated comparison.
| System | Status reported in June 2026 | Role in NASA’s plan |
|---|---|---|
| Boeing Starliner | Uncertified; NASA’s September 2026 plan calls for an uncrewed validation flight followed by a crewed flight targeted by 2028, subject to testing and certification. | A second U.S. crew-transport option NASA intends to retain for ISS and future commercial destinations. |
| SpaceX Crew Dragon | Certified in 2020; 12 crewed missions reported by the OIG as of June 2026. | NASA has used it to transport crews, including returning Wilmore and Williams in March 2025; NASA also accelerated flights to cover missions originally planned for Starliner. |
The OIG also warned that NASA lacked enough contracted flights to fully crew the ISS through 2030. That shortfall, alongside Starliner’s delay and certification risks, shows why preserving another system may be valuable to NASA while still leaving the agency reliant on Crew Dragon for flights Starliner cannot yet perform. The OIG report documents the contracted-flight concern.
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Did the contract save Boeing’s space program?
The evidence supports a narrower conclusion: NASA is continuing to support Starliner, restoring two mission options and funding additional upgrade and certification work. It does not show that Boeing’s wider space business faced imminent shutdown or that this update rescued it. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said the agency intended to see Starliner return to flight in support of the ISS and future commercial destinations, but the return remains contingent on demonstrating that the spacecraft is ready.
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