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Two additional Russian rocket engines arrive in the U.S.

Despite tensions over the Ukraine, a Russian cargo plane on Wednesday delivered two more Russian rocket engines to Alabama for their refurbishment and use in ULA’s Atlas 5 rocket.

This delivery gives ULA some additional breathing room. It the additional deliveries scheduled for later this year and early in 2015 happen, they will have even more breathing room for more Atlas 5 launches. Even so, their dependence on Russian engines is something that limits the company’s competitiveness in the emerging aggressive launch market.

Genesis cover

On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.

 
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.


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"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News

2 comments

  • Dick Eagleson

    As one who predicted these two engines would not arrive, I must confess to being wrong – this time. ULA’s ongoing problem is that is has to continue being lucky. The Russians still hold the whip hand here and can smack ULA any time they like. There are at least seven more deliveries scheduled through the end of 2017. Anyone else care to estimate the odds on all these deliveries being made?

  • Actually, based on my dealings with the Russians as well as my readings of their history, I would expect those deliveries to be made. They almost always fulfill the terms of any contract they sign, but do it to the letter. If you miss some detail that is essential, they will make you pay through the nose. Otherwise, the Russians have been remarkably reliable these past few decades.

    What I expect is that they will be very unwilling to sign any further contracts. When this one runs out, ULA will be out of luck.

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