NASA Classifies Boeing Starliner Test Flight as Type A Mishap, Highest Severity Level

About this episode

NASA has classified Boeing's Starliner test flight as a Type A mishap due to critical thruster failures.

NASA has officially classified Boeing's Starliner crewed test flight from mid-2024 as a Type A mishap, the highest severity level, equivalent to the fatal Challenger and Columbia shuttle disasters, according to a 312-page independent investigation report released last week. The report, detailed by The Space Review and NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, reveals critical thruster failures during docking approach to the ISS, where five thrusters malfunctioned, causing loss of forward movement and control in pitch and yaw, though four recovered to allow docking. Investigators pinpointed design flaws in the propulsion system, known risks from earlier uncrewed tests in 2019 and 2022 that were overlooked, and deeper issues like poor engineering oversight and a culture at Boeing and NASA overly focused on launching rather than safety. Isaacman emphasized, "We failed them," referring to stranded astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, who endured 278 extra days on the ISS before returning via SpaceX in March 2025; both have since retired. AOL reports NASA accepting the findings, vowing no crewed Starliner flights until thruster issues are fully resolved, propulsion requalified, and…

Topics covered

• Boeing Starliner
• NASA mishap classification
• thruster failures
• crew safety
• spaceflight engineering
• investigation report

Keywords

• Boeing Starliner
• NASA
• Type A mishap
• thruster failures
• space safety
• Jared Isaacman
• Suni Williams
• Butch Wilmore
• investigation report

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: NASA, Boeing

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