The latest Boeing Starliner fiasco is the controversy over that “buzzing” valve.

Just when we thought things couldn’t get any worse with Boeing’s attempt to put crew into orbit, a long-running industry dispute erupts over the rocket’s valves for a shocking third act.

A rival space company has taken the initiative to warn NASA of the “risk of launch pad disaster” and advise the space agency to “immediately stop” the Starliner launch. published On Wednesday, ValveTech, which recently lost a legal battle over valve design for the Starliner propulsion system, said Payload.

Well, here’s some tea.

Earlier this week, NASA and Boeing were forced to leave about an attempt to launch the Starliner spacecraft due to a faulty valve discovered by ground crews just hours before liftoff.

The Boeing crew capsule was installed on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, ready to carry NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams into international orbit. Space station (ISS) and back. However, hours before Monday’s scheduled liftoff, ULA announced that the launch had been cleared “due to observations of the self-regulating liquid oxygen solenoid relief valve on Centaur’s upper stage.”

The valve controls the flow and pressure of liquid oxygen in the rocket’s upper stage. It uses a solenoid, a type of electromagnet, that opens and closes as needed to safely relieve excess pressure.

After a failed launch, ULA CEO Tory Bruno speaking The crew working on the launch pad heard an audible buzzing noise coming from a faulty valve. The company has decided to completely replace the valve rather than attempt to repair it, and the new release date is now set for May 17th.

“After evaluating the valve history, the launch attempt data signature, and assessing the risks associated with continued use, the ULA team concluded that the valve exceeded qualification and mission managers agreed to remove and replace the valve,” NASA wrote in the release. statement.

This was still not enough for some people. “NASA needs to strengthen safety controls and review safety protocols to ensure Starliner is safe before something catastrophic happens to the astronauts and people on the ground,” said ValveTech President Erin Faville.

Just to clarify, the valve is on the Starliner rocket, not on the manned spacecraft itself. ValveTech’s apparent problem, however, is with the company that supplies Boeing with valves for the Starliner spacecraft.

In 2017, Aerojet Rocketdyne, a subsidiary of defense company L3Harris, severed ties with ValveTech due to disputes over valve design, Payload reported. Aerojet Rocketdyne hired ValveTech to make valves for the Starliner propulsion system (which is different from the ULA rocket’s pressure control valve), and ValveTech subsequently sued Aerojet Rocketdyne for allegedly misusing its trade secrets to create new valve designs.

In November 2023 the jury found that Aerojet Rocketdyne violated two confidentiality agreements with ValveTech and improperly maintained and used its confidential information. ValveTech sought further restrictions on Aerojet Rocketdyne, but the proposal was rejected.

The company now claims that the valve used for the Starliner propulsion system, provided by Aerojet Rocketdyne, “does not meet the correct specifications and has not been tested to ensure safety protocols,” ValveTech wrote in its statement.

“ValveTech continues to question how NASA, Boeing and Aerojet could qualify this valve for a mission without adequate supporting data or previous history. or outdated information that, in its experience, is inconsistent with aerospace qualification protocols established by NASA,” the company added.

In response to ValveTech’s statement, ULA’s Bruno wrote on X: “I don’t know what to say about this. Almost none of this. correct… It is noteworthy that the person mentioned does not seem to know how this type of valve works.”

A Boeing spokesperson told Payload that ValveTech’s speculation about Monday’s launch being canceled is “inaccurate and irresponsible.” Starliner has had its shortcomings in the past, but this time the manned spacecraft doesn’t deserve the misguided shadow.

Gizmodo has contacted ValveTech for comment; however, there was no response prior to publication.

Boeing Crewed flight tests It is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program and is designed to transport crew and cargo to and from the ISS under the control of the spacecraft. $4.3 billion contract NASA’s other commercial partner, SpaceX, recently launched its eighth crew to the space station, while Boeing can’t seem to shake off its curse.

The program suffered many problems and delaysincluding Uncrewed test flight in 2019 failedThe launch of Boeing’s crewed Starliner was originally scheduled for February 2023, then delayed until late April and finally pushed back to July 21, 2023. However, a few weeks before takeoff, the company announced that refuse startup attempt to address new problems with the crew’s vehicle, including a mile-long flammable tape that had to be removed by hand. Following the May 6 cleanup, the crew capsule will not launch until May 17 due to the aforementioned buzzing valve issue.

Boeing’s latest delay to Starliner’s launch may not have been the company’s fault, but it did lead to an amusing, if misguided, spat that continues the streak of misfortune that has dogged the program since its inception.

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