THE NEW SPACE RACE: Boeing Keeps Its Starliner Launch On Pause as SpaceX Readies for 7th Crewed Flight.

The NASA and Boeing teams are working through technical issues on the Starliner vehicle before they can gather and contemplate a target launch date, Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, said at a media briefing to discuss SpaceX’s upcoming seventh mission to the International Space Station.

A second issue involves some joints on the parachutes used to slow the Starliner on its re-entry into the atmosphere. As recently as late May, the Starliner’s first test flight with astronauts had been set for mid-July.

“We’re taking a look at all aspects of flight preparations,” Stich said, describing the program as “on pause” after the teams “decided to take a step back” from preparing for the Starliner launch. He said NASA isn’t ready to determine a new launch date for the test flight, which will carry astronaut test pilots Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to the space station.

We could really use more than one reliable manned launch vehicle but it doesn’t look like Starliner will fly a manned mission before 2024 — and I’m having doubts it ever will.