NASA Classifies Starliner Test Flight as ‘Type A Mishap’

NASA has designated the troubled 2024 test flight of Boeing’s Starliner capsule as a “Type A mishap” – the agency’s most serious safety classification – a decision that reflects significant concerns about engineering, oversight, and leadership during the mission. The flight, which unexpectedly extended the stay of two NASA astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) for nine months, is now categorized alongside disasters like the Space Shuttle Challenger and Columbia accidents.

What is a ‘Type A Mishap’?

A “Type A mishap” classification, as defined by NASA, signifies an incident involving the potential for loss of life or permanent disability of a crewmember, the destruction of a spacecraft, a significant deviation from the planned flight path, or damages exceeding $2 million [1]. This designation underscores the severity of the issues encountered during the Starliner’s inaugural crewed test flight.

Timeline of the Starliner Crew Flight Test

Starliner launched on June 5, 2024, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Shortly after reaching orbit, a series of problems emerged, including five helium leaks and five failures of the reaction control system (RCS) thrusters [2]. These issues required extensive troubleshooting by engineers on the ground.

Tests conducted at Boeing’s facility in White Sands, New Mexico, revealed that the Teflon seals within the faulty RCS thrusters likely bulged and obstructed propellant flow during ascent to the ISS [1]. Despite a hot-fire test on July 27, 2024, showing restored thrust levels while docked at the ISS, concerns remained about potential recurrence during re-entry.

NASA ultimately decided to return the Starliner capsule to Earth without its crew. Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, whose mission was initially planned for eight days, remained aboard the ISS for 286 days before being retrieved by a SpaceX Dragon capsule on March 18, 2025 [2].

NASA’s Assessment and Accountability

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, appointed in December 2025, expressed strong criticism of both Boeing and NASA’s internal management during a press conference on February 19, 2026 [1]. He stated that the Starliner mission should have been classified as a Type A mishap immediately after the initial problems surfaced. Isaacman emphasized the need for leadership accountability and a cultural shift to prioritize safety in human spaceflight.

“The most troubling failure revealed by this investigation is not hardware. It’s decision-making and leadership that, if left unchecked, could create a culture incompatible with human space flight,” Isaacman said [3].

Future of the Starliner Program

Despite the critical report, NASA intends to continue working with Boeing to address the identified issues and return Starliner to crewed flight operations. The agency recognizes the value of having multiple providers for transporting astronauts to and from orbit [1]. A cargo-only Starliner mission to the ISS is planned as early as April. Boeing has already invested approximately $2 billion to address setbacks in Starliner’s development [4].

The investigation into the Starliner mishap comes as NASA prepares for the Artemis II mission to the moon, for which Boeing is the prime contractor for the Space Launch System’s core stage.