The United States Space Force seeks to increase competition in its revised National Security Space Launch efforts. It should consider a different way to buy launches.
The older rocket companies in the USA got lazy and used rocket motors made in Russia for too long. They stopped buying from the Russians in 2014, so it seems incredible that they have not made a new rocket motor in a decade, except for the ridiculously expensive Space Launch System rocket and contracting with Blue Origin for the BE-4.
I'd say that is the Cliff's Notes version. But also, the DoD encouraged ULA, didn't it? Until congresscritters and senators got wind of the reliance on Russian engines. If you know this, forgive me, but ULA was provided money and time to come up with an alternative long before moving on to Vulcan. And it didn't build an engine. Obviously, it still hasn't, which is now biting it in the posterior.
The irony of it is, at least for me, that I'd love to see some sort of competition to SX--even if it were ULA. But not seeing anything on the horizon. I don't think either New Glenn or Vulcan, if they ever get launched, will be close to competitive.
The older rocket companies in the USA got lazy and used rocket motors made in Russia for too long. They stopped buying from the Russians in 2014, so it seems incredible that they have not made a new rocket motor in a decade, except for the ridiculously expensive Space Launch System rocket and contracting with Blue Origin for the BE-4.
Hi Eric!
I'd say that is the Cliff's Notes version. But also, the DoD encouraged ULA, didn't it? Until congresscritters and senators got wind of the reliance on Russian engines. If you know this, forgive me, but ULA was provided money and time to come up with an alternative long before moving on to Vulcan. And it didn't build an engine. Obviously, it still hasn't, which is now biting it in the posterior.
The irony of it is, at least for me, that I'd love to see some sort of competition to SX--even if it were ULA. But not seeing anything on the horizon. I don't think either New Glenn or Vulcan, if they ever get launched, will be close to competitive.
--John