Boeing’s Attempt to Compete With SpaceX Is Even More Cursed Than We Thought

Boeing's Starliner has been cursed from the start, and its most recent problems run far deeper than initial reports suggested.

There is still a chance that Starliner will make its May 19 International Space Station launch date.

The good news is that the underlying valve issue that resulted in repeated setbacks is likely going to require a full redesign.

Boeing vice president Mark Nappi said during a Wednesday news conference that a valve redesign is definitely on the table.

Costly Mistakes

Boeing has spent hundreds of millions of dollars more due to the repeated setbacks of the Starliner launch.

The cursed launch has been viewed by many as the airplane manufacturer's losing tactic to compete with the Crew Dragon capsule. Both companies are working with NASA to develop a new way to launch astronauts into space.

Boeing has yet to send an uncrewed Starliner to the orbital outpost, despite having launched five crewed missions to the International Space Station so far.

Many of the delays seem to have been related to the same valve issue, which seems to have displeased NASA, who re-assigned astronauts to the Crew Dragon from Starliner last.

It looks like there is more trouble in the manufacturing of aircraft than we thought.

Boeing is considering redesigning a valve that has kept Starliner from flying NASA astronauts.

There are more failures on Starliner.