Nasa boss says Boeing Starliner failure one of worst in its history

Source: BBC Technology

Starliner mission classified as Type A mishap

The “Type A” grade is reserved for incidents causing more than $2 million (£1.49 m) in damage, the loss of a vehicle or its control, or deaths. In a statement, NASA’s new administrator, Jared Isaacman, said the spacecraft had faced issues throughout its recent missions but was still accepted for the test.

“We are correcting those mistakes. Today, we are formally declaring a Type A mishap and ensuring leadership accountability so situations like this never reoccur.”

While there were no injuries and the mission regained control prior to docking, the classification recognises the potential for a significant mishap.

Comments from NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman

Isaacman criticised both Boeing, the builder of Starliner, and NASA for poor decision‑making and leadership that led to the failure.

“While Boeing built Starliner, NASA accepted it and launched two astronauts to space. To undertake missions that change the world, we must be transparent about both our successes and our shortcomings. We have to own our mistakes and ensure they never happen again.”

Getty Images – NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore were stranded in space for over nine months.

Getty Images – NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman.

Investigation findings

The 312‑page NASA report, produced after commissioning an independent investigation team, identified:

• Hardware failures and engineering shortcomings.
• Leadership missteps and cultural problems within both NASA and Boeing.
• Lack of oversight at Boeing, which turned an eight‑to‑14‑day mission into a months‑long ordeal.

These issues fell short of NASA’s safety standards and contributed to the prolonged mission.

Outcome for the astronauts

Test pilots Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore remained aboard the International Space Station for months before returning to Earth on a SpaceX flight in March 2025. Both have since retired from the agency.

NASA said it will accept the report as final and is taking corrective actions to address the findings.