NASA chief classifies Starliner flight as "Type A" mishap, says agency made mistakes

February 20, 2026
NASA chief classifies Starliner flight as "Type A" mishap, says agency made mistakes

Here's something that caught my attention — NASA just called its 2024 Starliner crewed flight a 'Type A' mishap, which is basically a serious failure. And get this — NASA's chief, Jared Isaacman, admitted that both Boeing and NASA made mistakes. According to Eric Berger from Ars Technica, this isn’t just a minor hiccup; it’s an official acknowledgment that the space agency’s pushing for more accountability. Now, here’s where it gets interesting — NASA is owning up to its shortcomings, signaling they’re keen to fix what's broken. So what does this actually mean for future missions? Well, it’s a reminder that space exploration’s still tricky, and even the biggest players aren’t perfect. But the good news? NASA’s transparency suggests they’re serious about learning and improving. As Berger reports, this might slow down some plans, but it also sets a new tone — more honesty, more accountability, and hopefully safer flights ahead.

NASA on Thursday announced it has formally classified the 2024 crewed flight of the Starliner spacecraft as a "Type A" mishap, an acknowledgement that the test flight was a serious failure.

As part of the announcement, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman sent an agency-wide letter that recognized the shortcomings of both Starliner's developer, Boeing, as well as the space agency itself. Starliner flew under the auspices of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, in which the agency procures astronaut transportation services to the International Space Station.

"We are taking ownership of our shortcomings," Isaacman said.

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Audio Transcript

NASA on Thursday announced it has formally classified the 2024 crewed flight of the Starliner spacecraft as a "Type A" mishap, an acknowledgement that the test flight was a serious failure.

As part of the announcement, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman sent an agency-wide letter that recognized the shortcomings of both Starliner's developer, Boeing, as well as the space agency itself. Starliner flew under the auspices of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, in which the agency procures astronaut transportation services to the International Space Station.

"We are taking ownership of our shortcomings," Isaacman said.

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