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New rockets for USAF

18th January 2016 - 09:15 GMT | by Beth Maundrill in London

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The US Air Force (USAF) has awarded contracts to SpaceX and ATK Launch Systems to produce prototype rocket propulsion systems for the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) programme.

The contract award appears to show that the USAF is prepared to take a sizable shift away from not only the Russian supplied equipment, in lines with sanctions against Russia, but also opening up EELV to companies other than the ULA.

SpaceX has been awarded $33 million for the development of three prototypes of its Raptor propulsion system. This will allow the USAF to transition away from the Russian-supplied RD-180 engine to

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Author

Beth Maundrill

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Beth is Deputy Editor - Land at Shephard Media, managing coverage across all formats of …

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