Both the 2003 Columbia and 1986 Challenger space shuttle disasters, which resulted in fatalities, received the "Type A mishap" designation.

The agency released a critical report that puts the Starliner incident at same mistake level assigned to the fatal Columbia and Challenger shuttle disasters.

The test flight of Boeing’s Starliner capsule — which turned into a monthslong stay in space for two astronauts — was a debacle in the same league as shuttle disasters, NASA said.