Boeing Starliner
Discussion
You'd have hoped so, but they are old hands at "change control" and extracting extra cash, very easy to do when your customer has no other options. Not so easy when your customer can just tell you "that's all you get, we'll go elsewhere". Hence why it doesn't seem like these late issues are such a big deal.
60 years ago, rockets and missiles were being built by many more companies than today - Northrop, Convair, Martin, Boeing, Hughes, Douglas, McDonnell, Ryan, Lockheed etc so there was a large element of competition. That all disappeared with the company mergers of the 60s to the 90s leaving only two big suppliers.
With the advent of SpaceX and other new players, at least some element of competition has been restored.
With the advent of SpaceX and other new players, at least some element of competition has been restored.
Eric Mc said:
60 years ago, rockets and missiles were being built by many more companies than today - Northrop, Convair, Martin, Boeing, Hughes, Douglas, McDonnell, Ryan, Lockheed etc so there was a large element of competition. That all disappeared with the company mergers of the 60s to the 90s leaving only two big suppliers.
With the advent of SpaceX and other new players, at least some element of competition has been restored.
The difference as I see it, though may be wrong, is that the older companies you list were 'proper' companies that were ultimately working for Government contracts. The new ones seem to be individual internet billionares playing; I find it hard to take them seriously.With the advent of SpaceX and other new players, at least some element of competition has been restored.
The world has changed since the 50s. If an individual starts a company out of an enthusiasm rather than pure financial imperative, then that's the way it is.
If you look at the foundation of companies like Lockheed, Martin, Boeing etc in the first quarter of the 20th century, they were created by enthusiastic individuals captivated by the world of flight. It was only later that they became large industrial concerns.
I also always liken North American Aviation Inc to the types of Californian companies that are now big into computing and the internet. If you look at the age range and shere exuberance and cockiness of the people who founded NAA in the 1930s, you can see parallels.
If you look at the foundation of companies like Lockheed, Martin, Boeing etc in the first quarter of the 20th century, they were created by enthusiastic individuals captivated by the world of flight. It was only later that they became large industrial concerns.
I also always liken North American Aviation Inc to the types of Californian companies that are now big into computing and the internet. If you look at the age range and shere exuberance and cockiness of the people who founded NAA in the 1930s, you can see parallels.
Simpo Two said:
The difference as I see it, though may be wrong, is that the older companies you list were 'proper' companies that were ultimately working for Government contracts.
All those 'proper' companies started off in a similar way to SpaceX, often driven by one person. The clue is in the company names - Jack Northrop, Glenn Martin, Billy Boeing, Allan and Malcolm Loughead ( Lockheed ) etc. 
Seems they've found a fix for the aero-acoustic problem
http://www.ulalaunch.com/ula-and-boeing-unveil-atl...
http://www.ulalaunch.com/ula-and-boeing-unveil-atl...
Starliner's RCS thrusters have passed qualification testing
http://www.spaceflightinsider.com/organizations/bo...
http://www.spaceflightinsider.com/organizations/bo...
Atlas V launcher for unmanned Starliner test flight being prepared
pic from Boeing
More info http://www.boeing.com/space/starliner/
pic from Boeing
More info http://www.boeing.com/space/starliner/
Rocketdyne has delivered Starliner's re-entry thrusters
http://www.rocket.com/article/aerojet-rocketdyne-s...
http://www.rocket.com/article/aerojet-rocketdyne-s...
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