A proposed ban on purchases of a Russian-made rocket engine to launch US military satellites will speed up the development of an American-made replacement, the head of United Launch Alliance, a Lockheed Martin Corp and Boeing Co joint venture, said on Wednesday.A compromise defence policy bill in Congress would bar the purchase of more Russian-made RD-180 rocket engines to send US military satellites into space. ULA, the Lockheed Martin-Boeing joint venture, uses the RD-180 to power its Atlas 5 rocket and holds a virtually monopoly on the US military’s launch business.The congressional proposal, aimed at punishing Moscow for this year’s …read more
Source: AsiaOne
