Boeing's Starliner??????? (1 Viewer)

[Steve R.]

Astronauts to remain on ISS as NASA delays Boeing Starliner's return to Earth after helium leaks

NASA teams are analyzing Boeing Starliner data after the spacecraft experienced three helium leaks and thruster failures during its docking with the ISS.

www.foxbusiness.com

I have long been critical of the US space program since it apparently had no next generation space shuttle (immediately) ready to go after the first generation space shuttle program was shutdown. That belief may not be justified as I have only superficially followed the industry, which includes Starliner, SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic.

My basic assumption with this thread, is that Boeing (as an existing aerospace) should have been one of the first companies to have put into service, by now, a next generation replacement space shuttle of some form. They haven't. In fact, it appears (based on the casual reading of headlines) that they are "failing". In fact, it appears that Boeing's bread and butter aircraft business is also under a lot of quality control issues. After a string of safety issues, Boeing is about to release a plan to fix its quality problems.

My question, why does it appear that Boeing's Starliner is failing when compared to other programs, such as Musk's SpaceX program?

My anecdotal observation is that Boeing, as a very large old bureaucratic company, has simply lost the innovative spark to implement a radically new product. This gets into the theory of how companies evolve. They start off by being innovative and challenging the status quo. As they get older and bigger, that innovation spark dissipates as they become the status quo and more concerned with issues such as market share, patent protections and revenues. (Lawyers and accountants essentially paralyzing the company).

Is that what has happened to Boeing's Starliner program?

 

[jpl458]

Astronauts to remain on ISS as NASA delays Boeing Starliner's return to Earth after helium leaks

NASA teams are analyzing Boeing Starliner data after the spacecraft experienced three helium leaks and thruster failures during its docking with the ISS.

www.foxbusiness.com

I have long been critical of the US space program since it apparently had no next generation space shuttle (immediately) ready to go after the first generation space shuttle program was shutdown. That belief may not be justified as I have only superficially followed the industry, which includes Starliner, SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic.

My basic assumption with this thread, is that Boeing (as an existing aerospace) should have been one of the first companies to have put into service, by now, a next generation replacement space shuttle of some form. They haven't. In fact, it appears (based on the casual reading of headlines) that they are "failing". In fact, it appears that Boeing's bread and butter aircraft business is also under a lot of quality control issues. After a string of safety issues, Boeing is about to release a plan to fix its quality problems.

My question, why does it appear that Boeing's Starliner is failing when compared to other programs, such as Musk's SpaceX program?

My anecdotal observation is that Boeing, as a very large old bureaucratic company, has simply lost the innovative spark to implement a radically new product. This gets into the theory of how companies evolve. They start off by being innovative and challenging the status quo. As they get older and bigger, that innovation spark dissipates as they become the status quo and more concerned with issues such as market share, patent protections and revenues. (Lawyers and accountants essentially paralyzing the company).

Is that what has happened to Boeing's Starliner program?

I can't agree more with your last paragraph. During the first years of my career there was a lot of headhunting going on. I started with IBM, and was quickly headhunted out of there. I worked for a number of startups, some were really successful, then most of them changed into real companies, instead of being the missions-based startups that they were. As they grew, there were too many people with their own agendas, that had nothing to do with the original direction of the company. Boeing got fat, and lost it's way. Profiteering.

 

[Isaac]

As they get older and bigger, that innovation spark dissipates as they become the status quo and more concerned with issues such as market share, patent protections and revenues

...and don't forget killing any whistleblowers, as they have >1 recently.