Boeing zeroing in on complex cause of Starliner launch scrub

Engineers are zeroing in on the "root cause" of a disappointing August launch scrub that grounded Boeing's Starliner astronaut ferry ship: humidity-triggered corrosion in key propulsion system valves, company managers said Tuesday.

Corrective measures are being developed, but another attempt to launch the Starliner on an unpiloted test flight to the International Space Station is not expected until well into next year, likely delaying the first piloted mission to even later.

In the meantime, NASA will continue relying on SpaceX and its operational Crew Dragon capsules to send astronauts to and from the station, with the next flight scheduled for launch on Halloween. The next Crew Dragon flight after that is planned for mid-April.