DEEP DIVE: Slow Burn: How Starliner’s crewed test flight went awry.

The future of Starliner after CFT is unclear. NASA said it would wait until after the spacecraft landed in early September to determine next steps. That included whether Boeing would have to perform another test flight, with or without astronauts on board, before NASA would certify it for flying astronauts.

Boeing, in quarterly earnings reports published July 31, revealed it took another charge against earnings of $125 million in the second quarter related to Starliner, citing delays in completing the CFT mission. The company has recorded about $1.6 billion in losses on Starliner throughout the program, mostly since a flawed initial uncrewed test flight in late 2019.

Those losses, likely to grow significantly in the aftermath of CFT, have raised questions about the company’s commitment to the program. Nelson said he spoke with Kelly Ortberg, Boeing’s new chief executive, and got assurances that the company would continue with Starliner.

“He expressed to me an intention that they will continue to work the problems once Starliner is back safely,” Nelson said of his conversation with Ortberg. However, Nelson said later there was no discussion about Boeing’s financial commitment, including a willingness to fly another test flight on its own dime. “It did not come up, nor would it have been appropriate.”

Asked at the briefing how certain he was Starliner would fly astronauts again, Nelson replied simply, “100%.”

It sure would be nice to have a backup for SpaceX’s Crew Dragon — Crew Dragon was originally supposed to be the backup for Starliner — but with so much uncertainty and so much red ink, the discussions within Boeing must be heated.

Related: Boeing Starliner hatch closed, setting stage for unpiloted return to Earth Friday.