NASA has announced that the first test flight of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft has been classified as a Type A mishap, the highest and most dangerous incident category. It is noted that that day "almost ended in tragedy".
On June 5, 2024, Starliner carried astronauts Sonny Williams and Butch Wilmore into space, who were to spend 10 days on the International Space Station. However, several engines failed during the flight, and the spacecraft temporarily lost control.
NASA eventually decided to return the Starliner to Earth without a crew. The astronauts stayed at the station for about 9 months and returned only in 2025 with a SpaceX spacecraft.
NASA admitted that the seriousness of the incident was not fully assessed at first. Now, the agency and Boeing continue to investigate the cause of the failures, and until the problem is resolved, the Starliner will not carry astronauts again.
