Safety Concerns Show Urgent Need to Stop NASA Starliner Launch, Warns ValveTech (Hastings Law Client)

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May 08, 2024, 13:30 ET

ROCHESTER, N.Y., May 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA should immediately halt the Starliner launch due to serious safety risks demonstrated by a leaking valve, according to the professional opinion of ValveTech Inc. The launch was scrubbed due to a leaking regulator valve in an oxygen tank, yet NASA is considering trying another launch soon.

"As a valued NASA partner and as valve experts, we strongly urge them not to attempt a second launch due to the risk of a disaster occurring on the launchpad," said ValveTech President Erin Faville. "According to media reports, a buzzing sound indicating the leaking valve was noticed by someone walking by the Starliner minutes before launch. This sound could indicate that the valve has passed its lifecycle."

"NASA needs to re-double safety checks and re-examine safety protocols to make sure the Starliner is safe before something catastrophic happens to the astronauts and to the people on the ground," Faville added.

An earlier issue with a valve

The valve leak at launch follows an issue with the Service Module Propulsion system, which incorporates a valve from Boeing's contractor, Aerojet Rocketdyne Inc., (an L3 Harris Technologies company). A federal court found Aerojet breached multiple non-disclosure agreements for improperly disclosing, retaining, or using ValveTech's valves, designs, technology and data.

Since the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York's November 2023 ruling, there seemingly has been no change made to this Aerojet valve, which a witness at trial deemed as being not qualified to the right specifications and not evaluated to ensure safety protocols. ValveTech continues to question how NASA, Boeing and Aerojet could have qualified this valve for the mission without proper supporting data or previous history or legacy information, which in its experience, goes against aerospace-industry qualification protocols established by NASA.

ValveTech supplies 14 valve components to vendors for the Starliner CST-100 spacecraft, which is designed to carry humans and scientific research to and from low-Earth orbit, including the International Space Station.

About ValveTech Inc.

Founded in 1986 and headquartered in Phelps, N.Y., ValveTech (valvetech.net) is a women-owned, and family operated business that designs and manufactures valves and other components for aerospace and military applications. ValveTech's products are used in the International Space Station, James Webb Telescope, V-22 Osprey and other demanding applications. ValveTech is ISO 9001-registered and AS9100-certified.

SOURCE Hastings Law Office, P.C.