Fri, 20 Feb 2026

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 Nasa boss says Boeing Starliner failure one of worst in its history

The agency released a critical report that puts the Starliner incident at same mistake level assigned to the fatal Columbia and Challenger shuttle disasters.

* NASA has classified the 2024 Starliner mission as a "Type A" mishap, its most severe category.
* This classification is on par with fatal shuttle disasters like Columbia (1986) and Challenger (1993).
* The incident left two astronauts stranded in space for over 9 months before returning home in March 2025.
* NASA's new boss, Jared Isaacman, has criticized Boeing and NASA for poor decision-making and leadership that led to the failed mission.
* A 312-page report highlights hardware failures, leadership missteps, and cultural problems at Boeing and NASA as contributing factors to the incident.
* The report also notes a lack of oversight at Boeing and inadequate safety standards.
* NASA is taking corrective actions to address the findings, including accepting accountability for the mistakes.
* The incident has led to the retirement of two astronauts who were on board the Starliner.
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