Boeing targets divestment of struggling space operations

Boeing is moving to shed parts of its space portfolio. The company has been exploring divestment of segments tied to NASA, including the CST-100 Starliner crew capsule and its International Space Station support work. The push to slim down Boeing’s space footprint is part of a broader operational reset under CEO Kelly Ortberg, who inherited a company bleeding money in its Defense, Space & Security division. The Wall Street Journal first reported Boeing’s interest in selling off NASA-related space operations on October 25, 2024. Starliner’s long shadow Boeing’s Starliner program has been dogged by delays and cost overruns for years. A crewed test flight finally took place in June 2024, but the program’s financial damage was already done. The company is likely to hold onto its work on the Space Launch System rocket components, the heavy-lift vehicle NASA is using for its Artemis lunar program. What stays, what goes In March 2025, Boeing’s Space Mission Systems vice president publicly described the satellite business as “core” and outlined significant investment plans running through the year. Boeing’s most recent major divestment came in August 2026, when it sold three subsidiari...