NASA took 21 months to classify the Starliner CFT mission as a Type A mishap.
Boeing announced more than 30 different target launch dates for the Starliner CFT mission over five years.
The Starliner CFT mission stretched to 286 days after multiple technical failures during flight and docking.
NASA classified the Starliner CFT mission as a Type A mishap in February 2026.
The independent review released a 312-page report on the Starliner CFT mission with significant redactions, particularly in sections about the technical causes of helium leaks and thruster failures.
The independent review recommended that the Starliner CFT mission be classified as a Type A mishap, NASA’s most serious mishap classification.
NASA accepted the independent review’s recommendation to classify the Starliner CFT mission as a Type A mishap.
On approach to the ISS during the Starliner CFT mission, five thrusters failed, causing a loss of six degrees of freedom and preventing movement along the +X axis toward the station.
The independent review identified three non-technical root causes for the Starliner CFT incident: a hands-off NASA approach early in the commercial crew program, inadequate systems engineering and integration at Boeing, and a program culture that accepted greater risk to support two providers.
NASA reported significant progress in the post-flight investigation of the Starliner CFT mission.