Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner crew ship approaches the International Space Station on May 20, 2022, on the company’s Orbital Flight Test-2 mission before automatically docking to the Harmony module’s forward port. The orbiting lab was flying 268 miles above the south Pacific at the time of this photograph. Credit: NASA
Two astronauts have been added to NASA’s Boeing Starliner-1 launch to the International Space Station (ISS). This will be the spacecraft’s first mission following the completion of its flight tests and certification.
For the mission, astronauts Scott Tingle and Mike Fincke of NASA will serve as the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft commander and pilot, respectively. Both astronauts have previously flown as crew members aboard the space station.
Portraits of NASA astronauts Scott Tingle and Edward Michael (Mike) Fincke Credit: NASA
NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps remains assigned as a mission specialist on Starliner-1. She also continues cross-training on the Dragon spacecraft to protect for other flight opportunities.
NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps. Credit: NASA
The agency’s Starliner crew rotation missions to the space station will carry four crew members at a time. Future crew assignments for Starliner-1 will be made following review and approval by NASA and its international partners.
Starliner-1 will launch following the successful completion of NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test (CFT). CFT will be the first crewed mission of the Boeing Starliner and aims to demonstrate the spacecraft’s ability to achieve NASA certification and safely fly regular crewed missions to the ISS.
Boeing is targeting early February 2023 for the launch of its first test flight with astronauts. It is still pending space station program approval, rocket manifest, and confirmation by the Eastern Range. Starliner will launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
After a successful CFT mission, NASA will begin the final process of certifying the Starliner spacecraft and systems for future crewed missions to the space station as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program.
Astronauts have continuously lived and worked aboard the space station for more than 21 years, testing technologies, performing science, and developing the skills needed to explore farther from Earth. Regular commercial crew rotation missions are needed to enable NASA to continue the important research and technology investigations taking place aboard the station and prepare for future commercial destinations in low-Earth orbit. NASA will send astronauts to the Moon as part of Artemis to prepare for future human exploration of Mars. Inspiring the next generation of explorers – the Artemis Generation – ensures America will continue to lead in space exploration and discovery.
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