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       Safety Concerns Show Urgent Need to Stop NASA Starliner Launch, Warns
       ValveTech (Hastings Law Client)
        
 (HTM) Source
        
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       ROCHESTER, N.Y., May 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA should immediately
       halt the Starliner launch due to serious safety risks demonstrated by
       a leaking valve, according to the professional opinion of ValveTech
       Inc. The launch was scrubbed due to a leaking regulator valve in an
       oxygen tank, yet NASA is considering trying another launch soon.
        
       "As a valued NASA partner and as valve experts, we strongly urge them
       not to attempt a second launch due to the risk of a disaster occurring
       on the launchpad," said ValveTech President Erin Faville. "According
       to media reports, a buzzing sound indicating the leaking valve was
       noticed by someone walking by the Starliner minutes before launch.
       This sound could indicate that the valve has passed its lifecycle."
        
       "NASA needs to re-double safety checks and re-examine safety protocols
       to make sure the Starliner is safe before something catastrophic
       happens to the astronauts and to the people on the ground," Faville
       added.
        
       **An earlier issue with a valve**
        
       The valve leak at launch follows an issue with the Service Module
       Propulsion system, which incorporates a valve from Boeing's
       contractor, Aerojet Rocketdyne Inc., (an L3 Harris Technologies
       company). A federal court found Aerojet breached multiple non-
       disclosure agreements for improperly disclosing, retaining, or using
       ValveTech's valves, designs, technology and data.
        
       Since the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York's
       November 2023 ruling, there seemingly has been no change made to this
       Aerojet valve, which a witness at trial deemed as being not qualified
       to the right specifications and not evaluated to ensure safety
       protocols. ValveTech continues to question how NASA, Boeing and
       Aerojet could have qualified this valve for the mission without proper
       supporting data or previous history or legacy information, which in
       its experience, goes against aerospace-industry qualification
       protocols established by NASA.
        
       ValveTech supplies 14 valve components to vendors for the Starliner
       CST-100 spacecraft, which is designed to carry humans and scientific
       research to and from low-Earth orbit, including the International
       Space Station.
        
       **About ValveTech Inc.**
        
       Founded in 1986 and headquartered in Phelps, N.Y., ValveTech
       (valvetech.net) is a women-owned, and family operated business that
       designs and manufactures valves and other components for aerospace and
       military applications. ValveTech's products are used in the
       International Space Station, James Webb Telescope, V-22 Osprey and
       other demanding applications. ValveTech is ISO 9001-registered and
       AS9100-certified.
        
       SOURCE Hastings Law Office, P.C.
        
        
        
        
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