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    The ISS is nearing retirement, so why is NASA still gung-ho about Starliner? | NASA is doing all it can to ensure Boeing doesn't abandon the Starliner program.
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    The ISS is nearing retirement, so why is NASA still gung-ho about Starliner? | NASA is doing all it can to ensure Boeing doesn’t abandon the Starliner program.


    The ISS is nearing retirement, so why is NASA still gung-ho about Starliner? | NASA is doing all it can to ensure Boeing doesn’t abandon the Starliner program.

    https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/07/despite-chronic-letdowns-nasa-just-cant-quit-boeings-starliner/

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    9 Comments

    1. fabulousmarco on

      Because it is never a good idea to have all your eggs in a single basket. Especially if that basket belongs to the totally stable Elon Musk

    2. LazarX on

      They can not afford to be totally dependent on Elon Mercurial Musk, especially if the messy divorce between him and Trump continues.

    3. Naive-Beekeeper67 on

      Id be VERY nervous if i worked at NASA or was an astronaut whilst current USA government / Trump is in power. I’d be staying firmly on planet earth

    4. _mogulman31 on

      Three main reasons would be:

      Starliner could be used to travel to other space stations.

      There are currently three operational crewed launch vehicles in the world, adding a fourth and second for the US provides redundancy.

      NASA has already spent billions funding the development of Starliner, and they aren’t going to just let Boeing cut bait now.

    5. PollutionAfter on

      Cause they don’t have to pay that much more for a functional crew capsule? Seems obvious to me.

    6. iamatooltoo on

      NASA’s stated goal is to make a robust LEO economy. They are also funding Dream Chaser.
      CLD’ are also being funded (slowly) they are giving them and others like Vast Space free technical help.
      NASA wants commercial stations.

    7. Kobymaru376 on

      Probably has to do with what the CEO of the alternative option wrote on whim:

      >In light of the President’s statement about cancellation of my government contracts, u/SpaceX will begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately,

    8. Adeldor on

      > That would be 11 years after Boeing officials anticipated the spacecraft would enter operational service for NASA when they announced the Starliner program in 2010.

      Mind boggling when one looks at historical aerospace development rates – doubly so given how this isn’t nearly so pioneering.

    9. Blackjaquesshelaque on

      Because it brings money to several States. Being stupid expensive overbilling Boeing brings so much cash to these different States. 4billion for a rocket that gets burned up every time it is used is a way to suck the money from the government.