MOSCOW, August 10. /TASS/. The M.V. Keldysh Research Center (an affiliate of Roscosmos) is prepared to provide assistance to Boeing in dealing with the problems of the Starliner spacecraft, the center's CEO Vladimir Koshlakov told TASS on Tuesday.
"We are well familiar with the level of the US engine-building industry. We know all of their products and will be prepared to provide assistance, should they ask for it," Koshlakov said.
He explained that the Keldysh Center had received the corresponding instructions from the chief of the Roscosmos Corporation Dmitry Rogozin.
"The Keldysh Center is the space industry's leading rocket engine designer and manufacturer. In fact, we work on all types of rocket engines that there exist," Koshlakov said.
Starliner's problems
Earlier on Tuesday a source in the space rocket industry told TASS that Starliner's flight to the ISS had to be postponed due to problems with the capsule's propulsion system valves. The source said it was unclear when the spacecraft might be brought to the launch pad again.
On July 29, NASA said it had postponed Starliner's launch to the ISS, originally due on July 30. The delay was then attributed to the unexpected activation of the science module Nauka's engines following its docking with the ISS. Starliner's launch was postponed till August 3, but several hours before the expected blastoff Boeing said that it was considering a further delay till August 4. Eventually the company said that Starliner's launch that was scheduled for Wednesday, August 4, had to be postponed indefinitely due to the need for re-checking its readiness.