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NASA’s decision to return Boeing’s Starliner without its astronauts was driven by concerns about propulsion-system performance and crew safety—not by a software problem alone. The uncrewed return added a separate complication: mission managers updated elements of the spacecraft’s systems with mission-specific information so it could make the trip autonomously. NASA has not publicly specified which software modules or settings changed.
What happened to the Starliner astronauts?
NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams launched aboard Starliner on June 5, 2024, for the spacecraft’s first crewed test flight. Starliner docked with the International Space Station the following day. The mission was originally planned to last eight to 14 days, but propulsion-system anomalies extended it to 93 days, according to NASA’s February 2026 investigation summary.
After reviewing flight data and conducting ground testing, NASA decided on August 24, 2024, that Starliner should return without Wilmore and Williams. The astronauts remained on the station and later returned to Earth aboard SpaceX Crew-9 in March 2025. Starliner itself undocked autonomously on September 6, 2024, and landed at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico on September 7.
Why did the uncrewed return require system updates?
Once NASA chose an uncrewed return, the spacecraft had to carry out a mission different from the crewed flight originally planned. In an August 29, 2024, update, NASA said mission managers and flight controllers had updated elements of Starliner’s systems with information specific to that return. NASA described the planned flight as fully autonomous, with ground teams able to command maneuvers if needed.
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That account confirms mission-specific system updates, but it does not identify particular software modules, code changes, or parameter values. It also does not mean Starliner lacked autonomous capability: NASA cited earlier autonomous entry and landing tests, and Boeing’s program history records that the 2022 Orbital Flight Test-2 completed an uncrewed mission that included undocking and landing.
NASA’s update is available in “NASA, Boeing Teams ‘Go’ for Starliner Uncrewed Return”. It supports describing configuration work as an operational complication, not claiming that a specific software defect caused the astronauts to stay behind.
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- BOEING CST-100 STARLINER – 1 Sheet Model with an easy difficulty level. Assembled Size: 1.97 (Diameter) x 2.17 H inches.
- FROM STEEL SHEETS TO 3D – Pop out the pieces and connect using tabs and holes. Includes illustrated instructions.
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How the propulsion concerns and software updates fit together
The sequence matters. NASA’s crew-safety decision followed propulsion-system anomalies, a review of flight data, and ground testing. After that decision, teams prepared Starliner for its uncrewed mission by updating system elements for the return. The software and configuration work was therefore part of executing the changed mission; it should not be presented as the reason NASA removed the crew from the return plan.
- Propulsion and safety: The anomalies affected confidence in Starliner’s return performance and informed NASA’s decision to bring it home without the crew.
- Uncrewed-return configuration: Teams supplied mission-specific system information for the autonomous trip and retained the ability to command maneuvers from the ground.
- Investigation: NASA’s later findings addressed a broader set of technical and organizational issues, rather than identifying the mission-specific update itself as the sole cause.
What NASA’s investigation found—and what remains unsettled
On February 19, 2026, NASA released findings from an independent Program Investigation Team and classified the Crew Flight Test as a Type A mishap. NASA described an interplay of hardware failures, qualification gaps, leadership missteps, and cultural breakdowns. The agency said technical root-cause work was still continuing, so the public summary does not establish a final, detailed software-level account of the uncrewed-return updates.
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NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said, “Today, we are formally declaring a Type A mishap and ensuring leadership accountability so situations like this never reoccur.” NASA also reported that Starliner faced challenges across its uncrewed and most recent crewed missions. Those broader findings provide context for the test flight, but they do not change the distinction between the propulsion-related safety decision and the subsequent system preparation for an uncrewed return.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Starliner’s crewed-flight status as of June 2026
NASA’s Office of Inspector General reported on June 30, 2026, that Starliner had not yet received human-rating certification. Its report said the next Starliner-1 flight would carry cargo before crewed service and estimated certification would not occur before 2027. That is the OIG’s estimate as of its report date, not a guaranteed certification or flight schedule. See the NASA OIG Commercial Crew Program report for its assessment.
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