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U.S. Air Force awards rocket engine contracts to Orbital ATK, SpaceX

Xinhua, January 15, 2016 Adjust font size:

The U.S. Air Force has awarded two privately owned space firms, Orbital ATK and SpaceX, contracts to develop prototypes of rocket engines as part of the country's effort to transition away from using Russian-supplied RD-180 engines for military space launch missions.

Virginia-based Orbital ATK received an initial 47-million-U.S.-dollar contract to develop three rocket propulsion system prototypes, while California-based SpaceX nabbed an initial 33.6-million-dollar contract to develop the Raptor rocket propulsion system prototype, according to a statement released Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Defense.

Orbital ATK's prototypes included the GEM 63XL strap-on solid rocket motor, the Common Booster Segment solid rocket motor, and an Extendable Nozzle for the BE-3U upper stage engine from Blue Origin, Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos's rocket company.

These rocket propulsion systems are intended for use on a next generation launch vehicle developed by Orbital ATK.

Under the contract, Orbital ATK is contributing 31 million dollars initially. The total potential government investment, including all options, is over 180 million dollars, and total potential investment by Orbital ATK, including all options, is over 124 million dollars.

SpaceX's Raptor engine prototype is intended for use on the upper-stage of the company's own Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launch vehicles. SpaceX is contributing 67 million dollars initially. The total potential government investment, including all options, is over 61 million dollars, and total potential investment by SpaceX, including all options, is over 122 million dollars.

The U.S. Air Force said in a separate statement that it is still in negotiations with other companies, and more propulsion contract awards could be announced in the next few months.

"Having two or more domestic, commercially viable launch providers that also meet national security space requirements is our end goal," said Lt. Gen. Samuel Greaves, the Air Force's Program Executive Officer for Space and commander of the Space and Missile Systems Centers, said in the statement.

"These awards are essential in order to solidify U.S. assured access to space, transition the EELV (Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle) program away from strategic foreign reliance, and support the U.S. launch industry's commercial viability in the global market."

Russian RD-180 engines have been used by the U.S. military to power the Atlas 5 rockets for nearly 20 years, but U.S. lawmakers are now pressing for a domestic alternative for national security space launches. Endit