Boeing's Starliner has cost at least twice as much as SpaceX's Crew Dragon
Boeing's Starliner program has lost $1.6 billion since 2016, with delays pushing the first crewed flight to June 2024. NASA may clear Starliner for return, but operational missions are delayed until February 2025.
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Boeing's Starliner program has incurred significant financial losses, totaling approximately $1.6 billion since its inception in 2016. The latest quarterly earnings report revealed a $125 million loss attributed to ongoing delays in the Crew Flight Test, which is the first mission intended to carry astronauts into orbit. Originally, Boeing was awarded a $4.2 billion contract by NASA to develop Starliner, with expectations for its first crewed flight by the end of 2017. However, the Crew Flight Test only launched on June 5, 2024. Boeing's fixed-price contract with NASA means the company bears the financial burden of any cost overruns, leading to repeated losses as delays continue. In contrast, SpaceX's Crew Dragon program, which began flying astronauts in 2020, has completed all six of its original crew flights for NASA at a total cost of over $3.1 billion. NASA has extended SpaceX's contract to include additional flights due to Boeing's delays. The first crew mission for Starliner is expected to conclude in August, but issues such as helium leaks and overheating thrusters have complicated the mission. NASA is nearing a decision on whether to clear Starliner for its return to Earth, while Boeing is tasked with addressing the spacecraft's technical problems before it can begin operational missions, which have now been delayed until at least February 2025.
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