Aerospace giant Boeing has filed a lawsuit against space tourism startup Virgin Galactic, accusing the company of stealing trade secrets and failing to pay $25 million for work on a new “homeplane” designed to launch a rover into space.

Boeing and its subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences have asked the federal court in Alexandria (Virginia) to order Virgin Galactic to destroy confidential information the company allegedly obtained during its collaboration with Aurora on building a new mothership.

The lawsuit alleges that California-based Virgin Galactic illegally retained intellectual property rights, including test results and some mathematical equations.

“This data is confidential information over which Virgin Galactic has no authority,” the lawsuit states. Virgin Galactic may use this information “independently or together to develop a new launch vehicle” in the future, Boeing said. [новим] partner”.

Virgin Galactic said in a statement: “We believe this lawsuit is factually and legally unlawful and we will defend ourselves.”

Virgin Galactic was founded by billionaire Richard Branson in 2004 and offers tourists the chance to fly into space on its Unity rocket-powered spaceplane. Last year, the company made its first commercial launch, sending its three-person crew 50 miles (80.5 kilometers) above the New Mexico desert.

Virgin Galactic signed a contract with Aurora in 2022 to provide engineering services for the development of a new ship. Aurora later concluded that the intended Virgin Galactic mothership would cost more and take longer to develop than expected, the lawsuit said.

Virgin Galactic allegedly refused to pay Aurora more than $25,000,000 for work performed. According to the lawsuit, Aurora has not done additional work since May 2023.