And Boeing wants to compete with Musk and Bezos for next generation spacecraft?
They’ve been joined at the hip with fedgov for so long, they’re becoming as efficient as fedgov.
“And Boeing wants to compete with Musk and Bezos for next generation spacecraft?”
Boeing is receiving more government develop dollars than Musk, and more dollars per flight. Musk is flying humans to the international space station Boeing and Space X were given contracts in 2014 for the reusable capsule. Space X has been flying astronauts to the space station. The 2019 unmanned test of Boeing’s Starliner capsule was unsuccessful and the scheduled second test for August 2021 was scrubbed. Boeing now claims it will run the second unmanned test by May 22.
Boeing received a $4.2 billion NASA contract to complete and certify the Starliner by 2017, while SpaceX won a $2.6 billion contract to complete and certify their crewed Dragon spacecraft. Space X begin flying astronauts to the space station on its Dragon spacecraft in May 2020.
Boeing has been considered the leading United States aerospace company for decades. In September 2001, after 85 years, the company moved its corporate headquarters from Seattle, close to the factories and R&D, to a $200 million skyscraper in Chicago, distancing its executives from the daily operations of the company. Since then the company has been plagued with issues including the 737 MAX aircraft and delays of major programs such as the Starliner.
Taxpayers might question why NASA paid Boeing $1.6 billion more than Space X to develop its reusable manned spacecraft and if the government has charged Boeing penalties for its failure to deliver an operational spacecraft given Space X’s success. After 20 years Boeing stockholders might question if the $200 million investment in the Chicago headquarters, plus the $50 million in donations by Boeing to Chicago area organizations, has been worthwhile. Perhaps the executives should move back to Seattle and spend their time on improving performance instead of devoting time and money on climate change, CRT and other woke social initiatives.