NASA's Decision to Rely on SpaceX for Astronaut Return Amid Starliner Issues

NASA astronauts who were sent to the International Space Station on Boeing's Starliner capsule will return on a SpaceX vehicle due to propulsion system flaws. This decision challenges Boeing's Starliner program and adds to the company's ongoing production issues. The two astronauts will now come back to Earth in early 2025.

NASA has decided that two astronauts who traveled to the International Space Station on Boeing's troubled Starliner capsule will return to Earth aboard a SpaceX vehicle next year. The agency deemed the propulsion system issues on Starliner too risky for the astronauts' trip back home.

Boeing's hopes for the Starliner program, which has faced years of development challenges and budget overruns, have been critically affected. In a move seen as one of NASA's most significant in years, the agency has opted to rely on Boeing's primary competitor, SpaceX, to ensure the astronauts' safe return.

Veteran astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will return in February 2025 on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. The decision comes after Starliner experienced multiple thruster failures and leaks, complicating Boeing's efforts to certify the capsule for regular crewed missions.

(With inputs from agencies.)