“Boeing, who hasn’t done anything but paperwork, and has flown no flight hardware....”
Space Shuttle count?
Boeing has been a partner with Northrup-Grumman in maintaining and upgrading our strategic missile fleet, as well as engaging in hyper-sonic missile design—controlled maneuvering flight at speeds experienced on re-entry, and Prompt Global Strike. . .among other space-related programs that can’t be mentioned here.
Old technology in some cases but with retained corporate knowledge for the engineers.
The space program for Boeing has been in R&D for a long time, designing, evaluating, testing space vehicle technology constantly. . .the guys in Huntington Beach and St Louis are always into something ‘space’ and kept the technology alive, and Phantom Works is also deep into certain aspects of spaceflight as well.
Point being, they are not novices.
If you know my posting history I am not a Boeing acolyte and am harsh on them for their senior leadership failures and arrogance. I know several of the engineers working space-related platforms and capability and they are a dedicated bunch, zealots in a way, when to comes to trying to make space launch/travel a viable program.
Boeing earned this job. I’m glad we have two.