After the Boeing Starliner’s first mission got delayed suddenly, a NASA contractor is worried that there could still be big problems with the rocket it’s supposed to fly on.
The mission got postponed on Monday, just two hours before it was supposed to launch from Kennedy Space Center. ValveTech, a company that works with NASA, is saying that they should wait before trying again because they think something bad could happen. They’re worried about a part in the rocket called the Atlas V.
NASA stopped Monday’s launch because they noticed a part of the rocket was acting strangely. They saw that a valve, which controls the flow of a liquid called oxygen, was making a weird noise while they were getting ready to launch. They tried to fix it, but it happened again while they were removing fuel from the rocket. This made ValveTech concerned that there might be a bigger issue. Erin Faville, the president of ValveTech, said:
“We think NASA should wait before trying to launch again. There’s a risk that something bad could happen. There was a strange noise coming from the rocket just minutes before they tried to launch. This could mean that the valve is old and might not be working like it should.”
ValveTech wants NASA to be extra careful and double-check everything to make sure the rocket is safe. They’re worried because if something goes wrong, it could put the astronauts and people on the ground in danger.
Boeing, the company that built the Starliner, has been having problems with delays and technical issues. They were supposed to launch the Starliner with astronauts back in 2017, but it got pushed back because of these problems. These delays have cost Boeing a lot of money.
Even though the Starliner has had problems, the Atlas V rocket has a good track record. It’s been flying since 2002 and has done many successful launches. But it’s getting old, and there are only a few more launches planned before it’s replaced by a newer rocket.
ValveTech’s warning is serious because if something bad happens, it could put the lives of the astronauts and people on the ground at risk. It would also be a big problem for Boeing, who’s already had issues with the Starliner.
