SpaceX’s Starship Completes 11th Test Flight, Paving Way for Moon and Mars Missions 
Berkshire Hathaway and Tokio Marine Form Major Strategic Insurance Partnership 
NASA Resumes Cygnus XL Cargo Docking with Space Station After Software Fix 
Global Flight Cancellations 2026: Middle East Air Travel Chaos Explained 
Nanya Technology Shares Surge 10% After $2.5 Billion Private Placement from Sandisk and Cisco 
Is space worth the cost? Accounting experts say its value can’t be found in spreadsheets 
SK Hynix Eyes Up to $14 Billion U.S. IPO to Fund AI Chip Expansion 
Nintendo Switch 2 Production Cut as Holiday Sales Miss Targets 
Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Eyes Helium Supply Risks Amid Middle East Conflict 
Amazon's "Transformer" Phone: Can It Succeed Where Fire Phone Failed? 
Elliott Investment Management Takes Multibillion-Dollar Stake in Synopsys 
Reflection AI Eyes $25 Billion Valuation in Massive $2.5 Billion Funding Round 
SpaceX Prioritizes Moon Mission Before Mars as Starship Development Accelerates 
NASA Astronauts Wilmore and Williams Recover After Boeing Starliner Delay 
Elon Musk Confirms SpaceX, xAI, and Tesla Will Continue Large-Scale Nvidia Chip Orders 
NASA has significantly scaled back Boeing’s Starliner program after years of technical issues and delays, announcing that the next Starliner mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will fly without astronauts. The revised plan reduces the number of contracted Starliner missions and highlights SpaceX’s widening lead in NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
The decision follows Starliner’s troubled first crewed test flight in 2024, when astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams experienced multiple thruster failures during the spacecraft’s approach to the ISS. The malfunction left the crew stranded on the station for nine months while NASA and Boeing worked through the propulsion system issues and debated the program’s future.
Originally valued at $4.5 billion, Boeing’s contract under the Commercial Crew Program envisioned six operational astronaut flights. NASA’s latest modification cuts that number to four, including up to three crewed missions and an uncrewed cargo flight set for April 2026. Two additional flights remain optional. With the changes, the contract’s value has dropped by $768 million to $3.732 billion; NASA has already paid $2.2 billion to date.
Despite the setbacks, Boeing maintains its commitment to Starliner, emphasizing that safety remains its top priority as engineers incorporate lessons learned from previous tests. NASA says both teams are “rigorously” testing the spacecraft’s propulsion system in preparation for potential missions next year, with full certification targeted for 2026.
While Boeing struggles to get Starliner on track, SpaceX’s Crew Dragon has become NASA’s primary astronaut transport, conducting regular ISS missions since 2020. The agency has already booked Dragon flights through the station’s planned retirement in 2030, raising doubts about Starliner’s long-term competitiveness.
NASA continues to insist it needs two U.S.-built spacecraft to avoid sole reliance on Russia’s Soyuz capsules. Boeing still envisions a commercial future for Starliner on private space stations, though such opportunities remain years away.
