Oh, I didn't know that valves were an issue before. I thought it was buggy code.

Buggy code... related to the valves.

And don't forget, that was a previously flown test unit.

https://arstechnica.com/science/2021...-issue-solved/

...

According to Vollmer, some of the NTO leaked through seals on the valves. Such leaks are well understood from a physics standpoint, Vollmer said. But then this oxidizer combined with some unanticipated ambient moisture in the cavity around the valve, and this resulted in corrosion that prevented the valves from opening properly.
...


No way they launch until 2022 now.

Good lord. Can we just shut the place down? :shake:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">News – Jeff Bezos&#39; Blue Origin filed a sealed complaint in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims against NASA this morning, continuing the company&#39;s fight that the agency wrongly awarded the lucrative HLS lunar lander contract to SpaceX, despite the GAO ruling: <a href="https://t.co/QHG6z8zkD2">https://t.co/QHG6z8zkD2</a></p>&mdash; Michael Sheetz (@thesheetztweetz) <a href="https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1427284095042793480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Ugh


There should be penalties for this kind of frivolous legal activity.

There probably will be, but it's not like money is the issue when it comes to Bezos.

I was thinking more along the lines of debarment...

https://www.gsa.gov/policy-regulatio...rment-division

This is the argument from BO? Really?

Blue Origin last week released an infographic that added that Starship is “a launch vehicle that has never flown to orbit and is still being designed.”

I thought those infographics were more just trying to throw shade at SpaceX more than trying to further their complaint about HLS. Regardless it is all just a rich toddler throwing a tantrum.

<samp class="EmbedCode-container"><code class="EmbedCode-code"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This will further inflame internal tensions at Blue Origin, which are rising. Many employees are super disappointed in this tactic. It will also make other commercial space companies wary of partnering, and make it super difficult to win any federal contracts in the future.</p>&mdash; Eric Berger (@SciGuySpace) <a href="https://twitter.com/SciGuySpace/status/1427287281371697152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </code></samp>

Right, but it's a pretty crappy argument for why BO should be included (if it is) since BO hasn't even achieved orbit and SpaceX has how many times now?

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This is a &quot;voluntary stay of performance&quot; that the court filing says &quot;shall expire on 11/1/2021.&quot; Oral arguments are set for 10/14/2021. So at longest the stop work would last a couple of months.</p>&mdash; Christian Davenport (@wapodavenport) <a href="https://twitter.com/wapodavenport/status/1428444049602760705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

It's kind of funny (and horrifying) to think what the space landscape would look like if BO had their way. Recall that they tried to argue that they had a patent on using a ship in the water as a landing platform. If they had won that argument, SpaceX might never have been able to figure out reusability. :shake:

Now they're trying to delay the moon work when there's not even a solution (not like NASA can suddenly come up with more money). At least it should only last a couple of months.

Ugh.
**** Bezos. I'm glad NASA was able to cut SpaceX a milestone check the day the GAO protest was rejected. SpaceX will continue working on SS anyway.

Will BO sue SpaceX as they continue work on SS, since it can be represented as development on HLS?