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 United Launch Alliance (ULA), the joint venture run by the two
largest U.S. weapons makers, said it would choose one of the
companies to develop a new engine by the fourth quarter, which would
enable initial launches by 2019.
The U.S. Defense Department, spurred by growing concerns over
Russia's actions in Ukraine, has said it wants to end its dependency
on Russian engines to power rockets that launch national security
satellites into space.
Controversy about the Russian rocket engine has also put a spotlight
on Space Exploration Technologies, a privately held company, that is
seeking U.S. Air Force certification so it can compete for some of
the U.S. government rocket launches.
SpaceX last month sued the Air Force for excluding it from a
multibillion-dollar 36-launch contract awarded to ULA.
ULA said it had signed commercial contracts with multiple firms to
investigate next-generation liquid oxygen/hydrocarbon first stage
propulsion concepts. It provided no details on the names of the
companies involved or the cost.
Aerojet Rocketdyne, a unit of GenCorp, has said it is potentially
interested in working on a new engine. It was not immediately clear
which other companies might be involved.
ULA said each firm would carry out a technical feasibility analysis,
develop plans, identify schedule, cost and technical risks, and cost
estimates.
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“As the nation’s steward of the launch industrial base and the only
company certified to launch our nation’s most critical missions, it
is incumbent upon ULA to bring forward the best solutions to
preserve that capability for the future,” said Michael Gass,
president and chief executive of ULA.
He said the current RD-180 engine, used for the company's Atlas
rockets, had been a remarkable success, but it was time to invest in
a U.S. engine.
ULA said it would continue to work with U.S.-based RD AMROSS, a
joint venture of United Technologies Corp and Russia's NPO
Energomash, to study the long-term feasibility of the RD-180 engine
in competition with the new engine.
It said the companies were discussing product improvements, U.S.
production of the engine and other enhancements.
(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Ken Wills)
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