Boeing has faced significant financial losses of over $2 billion on its Starliner spacecraft program, with charges of $523 million reported for 2024 alone. The program, under a fixed-price contract with NASA, has experienced losses almost every year since it was awarded a contract in 2014. This puts ongoing risk on the program for future losses.
Boeing’s Starliner program competes with Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which has successfully completed 10 crew missions for NASA using Dragon capsules. Last summer, Boeing’s first crew flight experienced issues with the propulsion system, leading to the decision to bring Starliner back empty and use SpaceX for the return trip.
Boeing has not provided details on how they plan to resolve the propulsion issue, but they have named a new vice president for the Starliner program. NASA has not given an update on the Starliner program since October, when they mentioned potential opportunities for a flight in 2025, while SpaceX has already been scheduled for crew missions in the spring and late summer.
Overall, Boeing’s Starliner program has faced challenges and financial losses, while competition from SpaceX continues to grow. Both Boeing and NASA will need to address ongoing issues with the program to ensure its success in the future.
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