Boeing stuck on the way to space

A warning to NASA was issued by ValveTech, the original developer of self-regulating solenoid valves. According to the developer, the Boeing ship’s engine system contains untested valves made by a third company using stolen technology.

Once upon a time, ValveTech supplied self-regulating solenoid valves to Boeing and other customers. The valves were purchased by the engine manufacturer, Aerojet Rocketdyne, part of the L3Harris concern.

But in 2017, Aerojet stopped buying valves from ValveTech and began making them itself or buying them from other manufacturers. It is noteworthy that ValveTech was specifically hired by Aerojet Rocketdyne to develop oxygen valves for the Starliner propulsion system, but they ended up supplying valves that ValveTech had nothing to do with the production.

ValveTech later accused Aerojet Rocketdyne of stealing intellectual property and sued, but lost. The Boeing Starliner, by the way, during its approach to dock with the ISS during an unmanned flight on May 19, 2022, encountered a failure of part of the correction engines, which can be regarded as the validity of ValveTech’s claim once morest the company that stole its trade secrets and failed to repeat the original development.

Now ValveTech is once more trying to restore justice by warning NASA regarding violating its own principles regarding the use of only certified products with confirmed authenticity in devices. Otherwise, according to ValveTech, the “risk of a catastrophe on the launch pad” increases, and to prevent it it is necessary to “immediately stop” the launch of the Starliner spacecraft.

It should be said that the launch of the spacecraft, scheduled for May 6, was canceled due to a malfunction of the oxygen valve on the Centaur upper stage of the ULA Atlas V rocket. ValveTech’s warning to NASA refers to valves in the ship’s system, which are completely different equipment.

Therefore, the management of Boeing and ULA considered ValveTech’s statement to be a public game and brushed it off, publishing corresponding comments in the press.

The launch of the Atlas V rocket with the Boeing Starliner is expected no earlier than May 17. Now they are replacing a faulty valve on the upper stage, for which the rocket had to be taken to the hangar. This will be the first flight for the ship with a crew on board. If everything goes well, Boeing Starliner will be able to make regular flights to the ISS along with SpaceX’s Crew Dragon ships.