“I worked for a competitor of Boeing, and was responsible for writing test requirements for large weapon systems. I cannot imagine not doing a total end-to-end test.”
I seriously doubt that there has EVER been an full-up end-to-end test of something as complex as this, without some ‘findings’ to be worked. And that is the purpose of such test.
“We now see what can happen when this step is skipped. I cannot imagine getting away with this . . .”
It’s a balancing act...NASA wants to ‘trust’ the contractors, but, sadly, that can result in cost-cutting that would otherwise never be permitted.
Boeing now plans to do this test. They did the tests in parts - not putting them all together. Had they extended their testing of the launch just a little longer this fault would have been uncovered. Sloppy work.
The fundamental problem with the Starliner is its software, the writing of which was outsourced to Asian subcontractors. As it turns out, that software was not fully reviewed and tested because of the cost of doing so. In other words, Boeing cut corners by using offshore non-American contractors and has ended up with unreliable software to run the Starliner, trusting to faith and testing to get by.