Boeing employees are reportedly “humiliated” after it was announced that SpaceX will be rescuing two astronauts who have been stuck on the International Space Station for months. According to a Florida-based Boeing worker, this decision has added to the numerous issues that have been plaguing the company in recent months, including the mid-flight incident where part of a Boeing airliner broke off.
In January, a Boeing airliner suffered a critical failure during flight, prompting closer inspection and revealing multiple production flaws. This has put the company under a microscope, which has led to a decrease in morale and increased embarrassment for employees.
The Starliner capsule, which brought Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to the ISS in June, was supposed to return them to Earth after an eight-day mission. However, due to technical issues, the astronauts have been stranded on the space station with no definite return date. To make matters worse, the empty Starliner capsule will now return to Earth in September, while Wilmore and Williams will have to wait until February of next year.
Victor Tangermann: Boeing Employees Humiliated That SpaceX Will Rescue the Astronauts Stranded by Starlinerhttps://t.co/uxXWD12b54?
"We hate SpaceX. We talk s**t about them all the time, and now they’re bailing us out."
(If those 'nauts die up there, shd we blame Boeing's Woke…— Denyse O'Leary (@itsdesign) August 26, 2024
This decision has left Boeing employees feeling “humiliated” and “shamed,” as they were confident in the safety of the Starliner capsule and believed it could bring the astronauts back to Earth safely. As one employee stated, “We have had so many embarrassments lately, we’re under a microscope. This just made it, like, 100 times worse.” The employee further added, “We hate SpaceX. We talk s*** about them all the time, and now they’re bailing us out.”
According to Steve Stich, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program manager, talks between NASA and Boeing “came down to a little disagreement about risk.” This highlights a lack of trust between the two parties, as Boeing has already incurred approximately $1.5 billion in cost overruns on the $4.5 billion contract to develop the Starliner. This raises questions about the future of the project, as new CEO Kelly Ortberg may decide to end the venture if it proves to be too complex and costly.
Boeing Staffers 'Humiliated' as Elon Musk's SpaceX Steps in to Save Stranded Astronauts: Report via @WestJournalism https://t.co/zP75qYFem5
— Vicki (@gojeffie24) August 27, 2024
The decision to have SpaceX rescue the stranded astronauts has not only caused embarrassment for Boeing employees but also highlights larger issues within the company. From production flaws to cost overruns, Boeing will need to address these issues and regain trust from NASA and the public if they want to remain a competitive player in the space industry.