Boeing Employees ‘Humiliated’ That Upstart Rival SpaceX Will Rescue Astronauts Stuck In Space: ‘It’s Shameful’

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NASA’s recent decision to enlist SpaceX to rescue two astronauts stranded on the International Space Station due to technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner has left Boeing employees feeling “humiliated,” according to one worker who spoke to The Post.

Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who were originally set to spend just eight days on the ISS after arriving in June, will now have to wait an additional six months for a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft to bring them back to Earth. The delay is due to the Starliner capsule experiencing a helium leak and malfunctioning thrusters.

A Boeing employee based in Florida expressed that this decision is another significant setback for the company, which has already been dealing with criticism following multiple commercial flight mishaps earlier this year.

“We have had so many embarrassments lately, we’re under a microscope. This just made it, like, 100 times worse,” said the worker, who requested anonymity.

“We hate SpaceX,” the employee admitted. “We talk s–t about them all the time, and now they’re bailing us out.”

“It’s shameful. I’m embarrassed, I’m horrified,” the worker added.

With morale at a low point, the employee suggested that many at Boeing are directing their frustration toward NASA for the situation.

Boeing insists that the Starliner could still safely return the astronauts to Earth after it successfully transported them to the ISS during its first crewed mission on June 5.

However, after more than two months of testing the spacecraft, which remains docked at the ISS, NASA opted to seek assistance from SpaceX.

The Starliner experienced a helium leak just before launch, and the problem worsened after docking at the ISS.

The capsule also encountered several thruster failures. While many of these issues have been addressed, NASA concluded that the safest course of action would be to have Wilmore and Williams return on SpaceX’s Dragon Crew-9 mission in February 2025.

“We believed that Starliner could bring them home safely, but NASA didn’t want to chance it,” the employee explained.

“They have their own PR issues and don’t need two dead astronauts,” he continued. “But we didn’t think that there would be dead astronauts. We’d never have recommended that they use us if they thought that it was going to be unsafe for them.”

Steve Stich, the manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, stated that discussions with Boeing “came down to a little disagreement about risk.”

Boeing did not comment directly on NASA’s decision to use SpaceX for the rescue. Instead, the company told The NY Post it was focused on ensuring that the Starliner could return to Earth safely.

“Boeing continues to focus, first and foremost, on the safety of the crew and spacecraft,” the company stated.

Boeing has already spent approximately $1.5 billion in cost overruns on top of the initial $4.5 billion contract it signed with NASA, which aims to use Starliner as a second transportation method to the ISS alongside SpaceX’s Crew Dragon.

The ongoing issues with Starliner could jeopardize its future and further tarnish Boeing’s already struggling reputation in the aerospace sector.

Boeing has been dealing with safety concerns since earlier this year, when a door panel blew off an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 jet after it was discovered that four essential bolts were missing.

The company has also faced numerous other high-profile incidents involving its aircraft, with over 20 whistleblowers raising concerns about safety and quality issues at Boeing — some of whom have reportedly died under mysterious circumstances.

{Matzav.com}

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