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Boeing and Aurora Flight Sciences Lawsuit Against Virgin Galactic
Boeing and its subsidiary, Aurora Flight Sciences, have taken legal action against Virgin Galactic for alleged non-payment and the improper use of confidential information. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, claims that Virgin Galactic owes $26.4 million for work done on a new “mothership” aircraft designed to support their next-generation suborbital space planes.
Virgin Galactic has dismissed the claims as unfounded, asserting its commitment to a robust defense. The company’s spokesperson communicated this stance to SpaceNews following the litigation.
Background of the Dispute
Virgin Galactic utilizes a carrier aircraft mothership to transport a space plane to an altitude of approximately 50,000 feet before launching it into a rocket-propelled suborbital trajectory. In 2022, the company engaged Aurora Flight Sciences to construct two new motherships, scheduled for delivery in 2025 to replace the existing VMS Eve.
Progress on the project stalled after the completion of preliminary design work in May 2023. Boeing and Aurora assert that financial and scheduling constraints rendered the envisioned mothership infeasible according to Virgin Galactic’s specifications.
Moreover, the plaintiffs accuse Virgin Galactic of unauthorized use of proprietary data, including technical specifications and performance models shared during the project. Boeing and Aurora have demanded the destruction of this confidential information, which Virgin Galactic, citing contractual rights, has refused to comply with.
Current Strategic Direction
Virgin Galactic has shifted its priorities away from developing a new mothership, refocusing on advancing its Delta-class space plane. While plans to continue utilizing VMS Eve for forthcoming test and commercial missions are in place, the company’s strategic attention has veered from the mothership initiative.
This legal confrontation underscores the intricate relationships within the aerospace industry, emphasizing the importance of contractual obligations and safeguarding proprietary information to ensure innovation and competitiveness.
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