Boeing says it tested the Starliner Service Module system three times: hot fire test (2019), pad abort (2019) and OFT-1 (2020). It seems notable to me that the environment for all three of these tests (first two were in the desert, third was in December) occurred in low humidity.
@SciGuySpace I have more in common with Starliner than I thought... I hate humidity and I have never been to ISS. Built different. Built Boeing tough!
@SciGuySpace I am a bit shocked. A bit of humidity caused 13 out of 20 valves to stick? What are they made out of, blotting paper maybe?
@SciGuySpace And not using a water landing they might not have paid as close of attention to water intrusion issues.
@SciGuySpace Did they not consider the likely conductions in Florida when designing and testing???
@SciGuySpace Why aren't they running more tests? When spacex's values failed they did at least 700+ tests. I hope they fly soon with no boom.
@SciGuySpace Good news: space has very low humidity. Bad news: you need to get there first.
@SciGuySpace If I could ask a question, I'd ask if in the history of spaceflight Boeing (and its ancestors) have run into this problem before. Launches have been at the Cape since 1950. I wonder if this is unique.