Bridenstine: frustrated with #EELV program and @SpaceX vs @ulalaunch arguments #CST2017 — NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) February 8, 2017 More Money, More Problems for the Commercial Space Launch Biz, Wired “But the two companies have used different strategies to keep clients. ULA, a collaboration between Boeing and Lockheed Martin, has a flawless launch record. They’ve never lost a rocket, but safety comes at a cost. According to ULA’s RocketBuilder tool, strapping […]

Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle: DOD Is Assessing Data on Worldwide Launch Market to Inform New Acquisition Strategy, GAO “In February 2016, Congress asked GAO to examine what is known about other countries with launch capabilities and whether or not countries had fostered competition among launch providers, similar to what the United States is attempting to do in the EELV program. GAO responded to this request with a written briefing on […]

Statement of Administration Policy: S. 2943 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017, OMB “If the President were presented with S. 2943, his senior advisors would recommend he veto the bill. … … Multiple Provisions Imposing Restrictions on the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) Program: The Administration strongly objects to sections 1036, 1037, 1038, and 1611. Section 1036 would restrict DOD’s authority to use RD-180 engines, eliminate the Secretary’s […]

Keith’s note: I have lived and worked in the Washington, DC metro area for 30 years. One thing I quickly noticed when I moved here was that big companies and organizations use a large canvas – literally – when they are pushing an issue at Congress. It is not uncommon to see Metro stations near the Pentagon or Capitol Hill transformed by a “take over” ad campaign with every possible […]

Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle: The Air Force Needs to Adopt an Incremental Approach to Future Acquisition Planning to Enable Incorporation of Lessons Learned, GAO “The Air Force is at risk of making decisions about future EELV acquisitions without sufficient knowledge. The Air Force plans to develop an acquisition strategy for the next phase of competitive launches before it has any actionable data from the first competitive launches. In addition, the […]

U.S. to modify launch capability deal for Lockheed-Boeing Venture, Reuters “The U.S. Air Force must modify its annual “launch capability” contract with United Launch Alliance, to level the playing field for new competitors of the joint venture of Lockheed Martin Corp and Boeing Co, senior U.S. Air Force and Pentagon officials told lawmakers on Wednesday. … [Air Force Space Command Commander General John Hyten] said the contract made it impossible […]

United States and SpaceX Agree to Settlement, SpaceX “The Air Force and SpaceX have reached agreement on a path forward for the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program that improves the competitive landscape and achieves mission assurance for national security space launches. Under the agreement, the Air Force will work collaboratively with SpaceX to complete the certification process in an efficient and expedient manner.” Elon Musk: Guest-Starring on The Simpsons […]

Senators vow to reassert America’s rocket power, The Hill “The United States must now respond decisively and provide our own domestic capacity to launch our crew and cargo into space,” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said. “We simply cannot rely on the vicissitudes of foreign suppliers in a foreign nation for our national security.” The full costs of replacing the engine could be much higher than Congress is willing to commit […]

Air Force asks court to dismiss SpaceX lawsuit, Defense Systems “The Air Force is asking the court to dismiss any challenges to the contract that allowed for the purchasing of the cores, arguing that SpaceX failed to object or respond to a public request for proposal issued in March 2012 for that purchase. Because SpaceX was not an actual or prospective bidder on the contract, the company should not be […]

Keith’s note: SpaceX has field an amendment to their initial complaint about ULA. The amended complaint includes new information from a 20 June letter from Sen. John McCain to Under Secretary of Defense Frank Kendall. McCain’s letter questions the lack of transparency around the cost of the Russian RD-180 engines that ULA currently uses for EELV launches. – Text of SpaceX complaint amendment – Text of McCain’s letter Elon Musk […]