Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Space Launch Firm Puts Hopes On Blue Origin Rocket

The United Launch Alliance, the space launch joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Boeing, has declined to put in a bid for a U.S. Air Force launch contract for a next generation, GPS satellite, as it struggles to gain access to a non-Russian engine for its launches. The key to its efforts: either lobby Congress to remove its limitations on use of Russian-made engines for its Atlas V rockets, or hope that Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin rockets can quickly get to market. The only bidder in the U.S. Air Force contract is SpaceX, which has been staffing up in Seattle for satellite projects.