T+340: Starliner’s Future and the Demand Signal

NASA's $360M Starliner deal and ISS extension politics are sustaining a LEO human-spaceflight market that NASA itself says doesn't exist.

• Starliner schedule slips: Starliner 1 (uncrewed) flies no earlier than December/early 2027; Starliner 2 (crewed) targets mid-2028, leaving big certification gaps.
• $360M contract mod: NASA and Boeing agreed to a ~$350-360M fixed-price contract modification covering Starliner return-to-flight work plus Vulcan certification, since Atlas V supply is running out.

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