For Sale: One Boeing Space Program, Per Report

Company is looking for buyers for its space program, which includes the Starliner vehicle and operating parts of the ISS.

Korey Haynes

Monday, October 28, 2024 at 04:15 PM ET

Verified

Edited By: tccjeremy

Boeing’s Starliner was plagued by malfunctions during its first crewed test flight this year. [Credit: NASA]

Key Takeaways:

Boeing is reportedly exploring the sale of its space business as part of a wider strategic effort to streamline and improve its overall operations.
This potential divestment follows significant difficulties, delays, and cost overruns experienced by its major NASA projects, including the Starliner crew capsule, the Space Launch System (SLS), and International Space Station (ISS) operations.
The move is part of a company-wide initiative under new leadership to correct course, after facing challenges not only in its space ventures but also its core airplane manufacturing business.

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The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Boeing is getting out of the space business—or trying to. Part of a wider move to trim and improve business holdings and operations, the company is looking to offload its space program, assuming it can find a suitable buyer.

Boeing has been one of NASA’s major contractors since the days of Apollo, when it built the massive first stage of the Saturn V rockets that launched astronauts to the moon. These days, its major NASA projects include Starliner, the Space Launch System (SLS), and operations for the International Space Station (ISS). According to the Journal, Boeing might retain control of SLS in the event of a sale.