Boeing CEO Says Starliner Technical Fixes Are Nearly Complete

Kelly Ortberg and Boeing Leaders Report Progress on Starliner Fixes

Boeing’s executive team struck an optimistic tone regarding the spacecraft’s technical readiness. Following the uncrewed return of the Starliner capsule in September 2024, engineers focused heavily on resolving five helium leaks and fixing the malfunctioning thrusters that forced NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to switch to manual piloting during their rendezvous with the International Space Station.

“The redesign of the Starliner deficiencies is going quite well, and we’re feeling pretty good about that.”

Kelly Ortberg, Chief Executive Officer at Boeing

Ortberg noted that while the primary engineering hurdles are largely addressed, the company is still coordinating logistical details with NASA. Securing an open docking port on the orbiting laboratory remains a primary requirement before Starliner can launch later this year on a cargo mission.

NASA Coordination and Financial Strakes in the Commercial Crew Program

The path forward requires close cooperation between aerospace executives and space agency officials to align launch windows. As Ortberg outlined during the financial call, scheduling involves balancing both crewed and uncrewed operational objectives.

“I don’t at this time anticipate that’s going to create a cost problem for us, but we do have some uncertainty here that we’ve got to work with NASA to get that put to bed, and we are working with them right now.”

Kelly Ortberg, Chief Executive Officer at Boeing

The financial stakes for Boeing remain high under the fixed-price structure of its agreement with the space agency. Under the original $4.3 billion Commercial Crew Program contract—awarded alongside SpaceX—Boeing is responsible for absorbing cost overruns totaling around $2 billion. Following the Starliner anomalies, NASA revised its contract to reduce the planned number of operational missions from six down to four.

Technical Challenges and the Shadow of Past Delays

The road to operational status has been defined by long-standing delays since the Commercial Crew Program’s inception in 2010. While competitor SpaceX launched its Crew Dragon capsule successfully in 2020 and has since completed dozens of manned and cargo flights, Starliner’s development encountered repeated setbacks stretching back to its initial 2017 target.

Technical scrutiny intensified during the 2024 test flight when helium leaks—an inert gas pressurized to push fuel into the maneuvering thrusters at precise rates—multiplied in orbit. Although ground teams determined that a minor leak identified on the launch pad was negligible, subsequent in-flight failures knocked out multiple thrusters. Re-entering Earth’s atmosphere requires precise orientation and a specific angle of attack to prevent catastrophic heat buildup, making thruster reliability essential for crew safety during the return journey.

Commercial Re-evaluations and What Lies Ahead

Boeing retains full ownership of the spacecraft while NASA participates as a customer under the Public-Private Partnership model. Amid mounting financial pressures and program evaluations, the company previously explored potential sales of parts of its space business, including the Starliner asset itself, though no transaction has materialized.

NASA formally classified the initial crewed test flight as a Type A mishap, noting that agency goals to maintain multiple independent crew transport systems heavily influenced operational and engineering decisions. With technical redesigns advancing and upcoming cargo logistics under discussion, Boeing and NASA continue discussions regarding timing and requirements for follow-on missions as the program moves toward its next flight milestones.