NASA has revealed serious flaws in the Boeing Starliner mission that left astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams stranded in space for an extended period, classifying the incident as a “Type A mishap” – the agency’s most severe designation. The astronauts faced life-threatening risks after the Starliner spacecraft experienced propulsion issues during their mission between June 2024 and March 2025, according to a report released Thursday, February 19, 2026.
The extended stay in space – 286 days total – significantly exceeded the initially planned 14-day mission to the International Space Station. Jared Isaacman, NASA’s administrator, emphasized the require for accountability, stating, “We must own our mistakes and ensure they never happen again.” This incident underscores the complexities and inherent risks of human spaceflight, even as the industry pushes for more frequent and accessible missions.
Type A mishaps, as defined by NASA, involve a risk of fatal injury or permanent total disability to crew members. Isaacman confirmed that while the Starliner was built by Boeing, “NASA accepted it,” and pledged to hold agency leadership responsible for preventing similar situations in the future. The two astronauts ultimately returned to Earth in March 2025 aboard SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission, following a nine-month ordeal. The Starliner spacecraft itself returned to Earth in September 2024, but without its crew. Both Wilmore and Williams subsequently retired.
The investigation identified “a combination of hardware failures, qualification gaps, leadership errors, and conditions of risk that were incompatible with human spaceflight safety standards,” according to a statement on NASA’s website. The agency has indicated it will accept the report’s findings as final.
NASA and Boeing have been collaborating for the past 18 months to address the challenges encountered during the mission, and technical investigations are ongoing. This incident comes as NASA prepares for the Artemis mission, aiming to send humans to orbit the Moon for the first time in over 50 years, currently scheduled for launch on March 6th. The SLS mega-rocket, central to the Artemis program, has also faced its own hurdles, including hydrogen leaks and thermal shield issues, as reported by Sky News.
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