Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft to be launched this month, but conflict with supplier

Many private companies are competing with each other in the race for American aerospace. These include Boeing, which is engaged in testing an unmanned astronaut capsule and improving its reputation in the space sector. However, the company has come into conflict with Aerojet Rocketdyne, a major supplier for its spacecraft. According to a Reuters report, Mission Boeing is a direct challenge to Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Through this, Boeing wants to establish itself as a competitor.

In this sequence, on May 19, the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft is to be launched atop the Atlas 5 rocket for the International Space Station. Boeing wants to show NASA that its spacecraft is safe for astronauts.

Boeing and Aerojet were at loggerheads over the Starliner’s propulsion system. Because of this, a test flight had to be canceled in July last year. For this both the companies blamed each other. Boeing is already fighting in the world of space sector. In such a situation, the collision with Aerojet has further increased its challenge. The cost of the company in this project has been around Rs 4,598 crore.

Like last year, this time there is no problem in the mission, for this Boeing itself is making minor changes in the design of the valve of the propulsion system. The 13 fuel valves that help propel the Starliner in space were not working last year and the mission had to be aborted.

These technical setbacks have put Boeing behind SpaceX anyway. SpaceX has delivered many astronauts to the International Space Station for NASA in its Dragon capsule. By the way, NASA hopes that Boeing will overcome this difficulty. However, due to the delay in Boeing’s mission, SpaceX has got three more missions.

Boeing and Aerojet each have their own reasons for delaying the mission proposed last year. Both the companies blame each other for the valve not working. Although Boeing and NASA consider almost the same reason behind this. According to it, a chemical reaction caused by propellant, aluminum material and moisture had jammed the valves.