WOEING: NASA Is Investigating Boeing Starliner’s ‘In-Flight Anomalies.’

But when — or if — Starliner will make its next launch attempt, with or without a crew on board, remains to be seen.

“Once we get through these planned test campaigns, we will have a better idea of when we can go fly the next Boeing flight,” said NASA’s Commercial Crew Program manager Steve Stich in the update. “We’ll continue to work through certification toward the end of this year and then go figure out where Starliner fits best in the schedule for the International Space Station and its crew and cargo missions.”

“It is likely to be in the timeframe of late this calendar year or early next year for the next Starliner flight,” Stich added.

Another flight test would be paid for out of Boeing’s pocket. There are rising costs (the company has already lost $1.6 billion on the fixed-price Starliner program) and only so many more manned missions remaining before the ISS is deorbited in 2030.