NASA has laid out a phased plan to return Boeing’s Starliner capsule to service, beginning with an uncrewed test flight around December 2026 or January 2027.

The space agency awarded Boeing a $359.3 million task order for the Starliner-1 mission, which will fly without astronauts. The demo flight is meant to prove the spacecraft’s fixes in orbit before it carries people again.

Starliner was grounded after a series of technical problems, including thruster failures and helium leaks during its crewed test flight. NASA said the uncrewed flight will be followed by corrective actions and a formal certification process.

If the plan holds, astronauts could fly on Starliner-2 in 2028, restoring the capsule as a second US vehicle for crew transport to the International Space Station alongside SpaceX’s Crew Dragon.

The timeline gives Boeing a long road back. Industry watchers note the programme has cost the company billions in overruns, and the next two years will determine whether Starliner has a future in NASA’s commercial crew programme.