Cape Canaveral, Florida – The Boeing Starliner saga could have taken a much more disastrous turn, as revealed in a recent excerpt from a book offering an insider’s perspective on a pivotal meeting from a decade ago. NASA was contemplating a risky move to solely rely on Boeing’s Starliner as the commercial spacecraft to ferry astronauts to and from the International Space Station (ISS), instead of also choosing SpaceX. This decision may have had severe consequences, given the recent shortcomings of the Starliner compared to the success of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon in crew transportation.
In 2014, NASA had initially awarded contracts to Boeing and SpaceX as part of its Commercial Crew Program to develop spacecraft capable of carrying crew and cargo to the ISS. SpaceX has flourished in this role, successfully completing numerous crew transport missions to the space station. In contrast, Boeing faced a setback when its Starliner encountered multiple issues during its first crewed test flight. This included thruster failures and helium leaks, prompting the decision to bring back the astronauts on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon instead.
Boeing had initially been favored over SpaceX during critical decision-making meetings within NASA, with many leaning towards Boeing as the sole commercial partner due to its perceived reliability. However, SpaceX’s lower bid price and willingness to conduct critical in-flight tests demonstrated a commitment to safety and mission assurance that ultimately swayed NASA’s decision. This led to NASA rewriting its Commercial Crew contract to include both Boeing and SpaceX, ensuring a more robust and competitive landscape in the commercial crew transportation sector.
The close call between Boeing and SpaceX highlighted the importance of budget constraints, mission suitability, and past performance in evaluating commercial partners for space travel. Boeing’s reluctance to conduct in-flight tests of critical systems emerged as a critical factor in NASA’s decision-making process. Ultimately, NASA’s strategic decision to diversify its commercial crew partnerships paid off, as SpaceX’s Crew Dragon proved to be a reliable and cost-effective alternative to traditional crew transport methods.
The contrasting trajectories of Boeing and SpaceX in the commercial crew sector demonstrate the evolving landscape of spaceflight industry and the benefits of fostering competition and innovation. Had NASA solely relied on Boeing’s Starliner, it may have faced greater challenges in achieving cost-effective and reliable crew transportation to the ISS. By fostering competition and investing in multiple commercial partners, NASA has been able to navigate the complexities of crew transport and ensure a sustainable and dynamic future for space exploration.