The Space Show by Dr. David Livingston Hotel Mars with Doug Messier on Starliner.
Mar 11, 2026
A compact look at the Boeing Starliner’s recent mission failures and the technical glitches that left astronauts stranded. Conversation covers engineering and quality control concerns at Boeing and how regulators responded. Discussion questions Starliner’s commercial future, costs, and whether it can remain a viable competitor to other crewed spacecraft.
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Starliner Was NASA's Intended Backup Crew Vehicle
- Starliner was developed as NASA's Commercial Crew backup to SpaceX Crew Dragon and cost about $4.2 billion from NASA plus ~$2 billion in Boeing overruns.
- Its third crewed flight on June 5, 2024 suffered thruster failures, stranded astronauts on ISS, and required a later safe automated September return and crew ride home on SpaceX Dragon.
Recurring Quality Failures Point To Systemic Boeing Problems
- Boeing shows systemic quality and engineering problems reflected across recent programs, including 737 MAX issues and recurring Starliner failures.
- NASA reviews found variances allowed outside mission requirements, poor contract oversight, and slow root-cause resolution on the thruster/RCS malfunctions.
Fix Root Causes First Then Resume Crewed Flights
- NASA should press Boeing to fully resolve root causes before crew returns and consider cargo-only use first as confidence is rebuilt.
- Boeing faces a hard deadline with ISS retirement (around 2030) and must show safety and cost competitiveness versus SpaceX to remain relevant.