The Starliner program has been notorious for relying heavily on computer simulations, instead of doing the “hardware-rich” testing that SpaceX is famous for and which was also the norm in the 1960s NASA culture.
Spacecraft really are so complex that the only way to find certain problems is to build it and find out the hard way. There was one (I think an Apollo spacecraft) where they didn’t find out until the first test flight that it would develop a resonant frequency while in the air that would eventually shake itself to pieces - they prevented it by adding a seemingly useless structural element to the tank. adding a bunch of seemingly useless helium to the fuel lines before ignition.
The Starliner program has been notorious for relying heavily on computer simulations, instead of doing the “hardware-rich” testing that SpaceX is famous for and which was also the norm in the 1960s NASA culture.
Spacecraft really are so complex that the only way to find certain problems is to build it and find out the hard way. There was one (I think an Apollo spacecraft) where they didn’t find out until the first test flight that it would develop a resonant frequency while in the air that would eventually shake itself to pieces - they prevented it by
adding a seemingly useless structural element to the tank.adding a bunch of seemingly useless helium to the fuel lines before ignition.Yeah, it was the Saturn V “pogoing” problem. It really is amazing that spaceflight is even possible given the engineering challenges.