NASA Designates Boeing Starliner Flight a 'Type A Mishap'
NASA has formally designated Boeing's first crewed Starliner flight a "Type A mishap," the agency's most severe safety classification, following a prolonged in-orbit stay. A new 300-page report details significant software deficiencies, a lack of robust fault management, and incomplete system verification. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman stated no further crew will fly on Starliner until all root causes are corrected.
- A "Type A mishap" is NASA's most severe classification, reserved for incidents involving the loss of a crewed spacecraft, a fatality or permanent disability, or property damage of $2 million or more. The Starliner incident met the criteria due to the temporary loss of controlled flight and mission costs exceeding the threshold by a factor of 100. - During the approach to the International Space Station, five of the spacecraft's maneuvering thrusters failed, forcing the crew to manually intervene to achieve docking. This issue, combined with multiple helium leaks, extended the planned eight-day mission to 93 days while ground teams investigated. - Due to the unresolved thruster and leak issues, NASA deemed it too risky for astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to return on Starliner. The capsule returned to Earth uncrewed, and the astronauts returned nearly nine months later aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon. - This crewed flight followed a history of developmental setbacks, including a 2019 uncrewed test flight that failed to reach the ISS due to a critical software error that caused the spacecraft to fire its thrusters incorrectly. A second software defect discovered during that mission could have led to a catastrophic collision between the service module and crew module during re-entry. - Further issues, such as corroded propulsion system valves and flammable wiring tape, delayed the program for years. The program is currently more than $2 billion over its original $4.2 billion fixed-price contract awarded in 2014. - The investigation report cited a "complex interplay of hardware failures, qualification gaps, leadership missteps, and cultural breakdowns" as contributing to the unacceptable risks. It specifically noted that pressure to maintain the program's schedule and reputation influenced decisions that put the mission at risk. - The report revealed that during the uncrewed return, another thruster failed during descent, leaving the system with zero fault tolerance. The leading theory for this failure is corrosion caused by residual propellant.
