Boeing sued over potential IP theft of unique ISS and SLS tools

In a week of not great news for The Boeing Company, a lawsuit has been opened up against them by a smaller specialty aerospace company claiming Boeing stole trade secrets. While this is just an accusation, the plaintiffs believe they have a strong case.

What is Boeing accused of?

Wilson Aerospace, a small, family-owned business in Colorado, claims that Boeing stole intellectual property from them when they worked together between 2014 and 2016. Wilson creates specialty equipment for the aerospace industry, and central to this lawsuit is the company’s Fluid Fitting Torque Device or FFTD. This device can secure fittings in hard-to-reach places like inside spacecraft and rockets.

Wilson claims that Boeing stole designs and then counterfeited its own version of the FFTD for use on NASA’s Space Launch System under the protection of non-disclosure and propriety information agreements. According to Wilson, Boeing could not attach the four RS-25 engines to the SLS core stage without their FFTD device.

Boeing supposedly produced counterfeited FFTD for the International Space Station as well. Wilson claims that the counterfeited FFTDs were inferior to theirs, and Boeing teams lacked the knowledge for proper use, leading to leaks on the ISS and SLS rocket.

It’s important to note that these are only accusations in a civil action filing. These claims must be proven in court, with Boeing having a chance to defend itself. Boeing has stated Wilson’s arguments are “rife with inaccuracies and omissions.”

More trouble for Boeing

Boeing has not had a good few months when it comes to spaceflight. Going back to the launch of Artemis 1, leaks plagued the first few launch attempt. It’s unsure if the allegations from Wilson line up with those leaks. That is something that will hopefully come out in further documents.

Starliner has also not been going well for the once prime aerospace contractor. What was once believed to be the only viable winner in the Commercial Crew Program, Starliner, has continued to see delays. The most recent troubles came just a few weeks ago that will likely delay the launch of Boeing’s Crewed Flight Test in late 2023 or 2024.