NASA's Safety Oversight Criticized Amid Boeing Starliner Issues

A NASA safety panel has criticized NASA officials for their management of the Boeing Starliner mission that left astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams stranded aboard the International Space Station.

According to a report by NASAs Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel, the failure to declare the incident as a mishap hindered appropriate risk management and decision-making. The Starliner capsule launched on June 5, 2024, but encountered significant issues, including five thruster failures and helium leaks, leading to an extended stay for the astronauts on the ISS.

NASA had reassured the public that Starliner was safe for return, but ultimately deemed the spacecraft unfit for the astronauts and returned them to Earth via SpaceXs Dragon spacecraft. The safety panel emphasized that declaring a mishap could have initiated a timely investigation and a clearer understanding of the risks involved.

In response to the incident, NASA announced plans to reduce the number of planned Starliner missions from six to four, with the next mission scheduled for April 2026, this time without a crew on board.

The ASAP report stresses the need for NASA to clarify procedures and remove ambiguity in future mishap scenarios to ensure crew safety.