NASA's One Huge Mistake That Could Have Crushed SpaceX and Changed Space Travel Forever

Ten years ago, NASA was at a crossroads, deciding which spacecraft provider would lead the charge in the Commercial Crew Program (CCP). The agency was considering awarding a lucrative contract to a single provider, Boeing's Starliner, a decision that would have left SpaceX out of the picture and set the stage for a disastrously limited future.

This move would have led to Boeing dominating the space industry, taking control of the market for crewed missions to the International Space Station. Boeing had already secured a major contract from NASA for the space station's main structure, with the company integrating many of its components and assembling the overall ISS structure over time.

The decision was reportedly close to being finalized, but ultimately, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden announced in 2014 that the agency had chosen two winners - SpaceX's Dragon and Boeing's Starliner. This $2.6 billion program aimed to carry NASA astronauts to the ISS using the private spaceflight industry, finally ending US dependence on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft for crewed missions following the scheduled retirement of the shuttle fleet.

The outcome of the NASA decision will be monumental. The dual contracts opened the door to innovation, encouraged public-private collaboration, and allowed for flexibility and healthy competition between SpaceX and Boeing. Had NASA elected to grant Boeing exclusivity for its crew transportation system, it could have stifled development in the industry and set America back years in its search for innovation.

This would also have reduced diversity in spaceflight and restricted opportunities for innovative thoughts that can emerge from diverse suppliers and customers. Commercial crew capability and strong partnerships have been game-changers for human spaceflight missions, but so too is embracing the principles of supply chain security, expanding low Earth orbit (LEO) capacities, increasing innovation, and delivering critical missions reliably.

Instead, the move to grant dual contracts has not only brought significant innovation to the industry but continues to hold numerous market opportunities in deep space missions. This decision also supports expanded international space exploration cooperation.