The world’s largest aerospace company has been accused of “blatant theft and misuse” of intellectual property that caused a leak on the International Space Station and endangered the lives of astronauts.
According to a US federal lawsuit filed by Wilson Aerospace, seen by Sky News, Boeing Engaged in fraud and subsequent cover-ups over the years to generate corporate profits.
In response, Boeing told Sky News that the lawsuit was “ridden with inaccuracies and omissions”.
Wilson Aerospace said it had a contract with Boeing between 2014 and 2016 to provide solutions for securely attaching the engine to the Space Launch System (SLS), the rocket that will be used by NASA to return humans to the moon.
But after providing the design for the unique torque wrench, Boeing terminated the contract and produced a version that was “seriously deficient in quality and performance,” according to the Colorado-based company.
It added that the use of “mismatched” tools is believed to have caused or contributed to the dangerous leak that delayed the launch of the SLS rocket.
Tool design allegedly ‘stolen’
Over the years, Wilson and Boeing have collaborated on several large space projects, including the International Space Station (ISS).
Wilson has invented a series of tools designed to tighten fittings to nasa To avoid unnecessary damage to the spacecraft and the risk of toxic or explosive liquid leakage.
The lawsuit accuses Boeing of “stealing” designs for the tools astronauts use to install equipment on the International Space Station, including parts of life support systems and airlocks.
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It said frequent use of the “FFTD-1” tool “in a manner not consistent with its original design” could cause the fitting to seize and the nut to deform and hold it in place.
It claims Boeing changed the design of the tool to increase torque, causing the fitting to overtighten.
Boeing then blamed Wilson’s tool design for the leak, the lawsuit said.
David Wilson, president and founder of Wilson Aerospace, said: “Boeing not only stole our intellectual property and damaged our company’s reputation, but also used this technology wrongly and at the expense of astronaut safety. It’s downright mean.
“It is my hope that this lawsuit will put a stop to Boeing’s practice of repeatedly prioritizing its own profits over safety.”
“Endangered Astronaut”
Wilson Aerospace claims Boeing orchestrated a cover-up by deleting all records showing any relationship between the two companies.
Peter Flowers, a partner at law firm Meyers & Flowers, which represents Wilson Aerospace, said: “Boeing’s brazen theft illustrates a large corporation using its unfettered power to squeeze a small family-owned business.
“The Wilson family has a long history in the aviation industry, and Boeing has shown once again that they will defraud small suppliers like Wilson by stealing and violating sensitive intellectual property.
“Boeing’s choice to jeopardize the safety of its astronauts is all about the greater bottom line.”
Wilson is seeking damages from Boeing for using its “trade secrets.”
“This lawsuit is riddled with inaccuracies and omissions,” a Boeing spokesman said in a statement.
“We will vigorously defend this in court.”