NASA Boeing Starliner Launch Delayed; How Humidity, Corrosive Valves Hindered Plans

Boeing's second attempt to launch its problematic human capsule to the International Space Station has been postponed once more, this time until the middle of 2022. NASA and the aerospace giant go to extraordinary measures to examine fuel valve issues on the spaceship.

The postponement adds to the problems with Boeing's Starliner spaceship, which stands in stark contrast to SpaceX, Elon Musk's private firm. Crew Dragon, the company's passenger spaceship, has sent crews into orbit four times in the last two years, with a fifth slated for Halloween.

Before blocked valves forced Boeing and NASA to postpone a scheduled launch, the agency and business stated they thought the Starliner could take people to the International Space Station on a test flight by the end of the year.

NASA Boeing Starliner's Launch Delay Due To Corrosive Valves Made By Humidity

According to a report by Ars Technica, Boeing's chief engineer for space and launch, Michelle Parker, revealed a probable cause for the valve problem in a news conference, stating that moisture may have had a role.

The Boeing executive explained the Starliner's valves were jammed, possibly owing to humidity impacting the spaceship. As a result, corrosion was seen in the Starliner's valves, which Parker believed may be due to a combination of the oxidizer and moisture, resulting in the formation of nitric acid.

Nonetheless, Parker said they created the vehicle to combat Florida's extreme humidity that could peak in August. In a Wall Street Journal report, she said the firm has a purge system in place to keep the valves dry.

ALSO READ: NASA's Boeing Starliner Test Flight to ISS Delayed Until 2022 Due to "Complicated" Issues

How Corrosive Oxidizer Valves Affected Flight

According to Boeing officials, thirteen of the 24 oxidizer valves were malfunctioning and stuck in the incorrect position. The Verge said engineers could free nine of the 13 stuck valves while the Starliner was still on the launchpad. But four stubbornly refused to move. As a result, Boeing decided to send the Starliner back to the manufacturer for a deeper examination. Since then, engineers have disassembled three of the valves, which has helped them understand what exactly went wrong.

Boeing believes that part of the oxidizer inside the valves may have leaked out, causing the stickiness. According to the manufacturer, the oxidizer can occasionally infiltrate through Teflon material, so the engineers sealed the valves with Teflon. Boeing chose Teflon because it is "compatible with the oxidizer." But other seal materials are not. The oxidizer could have probably escaped and mixed with the additional moisture and humidity at the launch site, causing the valves to erode somewhat. And it was because of this corrosion, Boeing was unable to get the valves to move as they desired.

Since the launch delay, Boeing claims that it has used a combination of additional heating and higher voltages to free up 12 of the 13 jammed valves. In the interim, the Starliner team purposely keeps one valve blocked to see what type of modifications they can implement to prevent this from happening again. It might entail the installation of additional heaters in the valves. Boeing has also removed two valves and sent them to NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, where they will be subjected to CT scans for a more thorough examination.