The U.S. Air Force has awarded contracts worth more than $2.2 billion for launch vehicle development to United Launch Alliance (ULA), Blue Origin and Northrop Grumman. ULA of Centennial, Colo., will receive $967 million for the development of a launch system prototype of the Vulcan-Centaur booster. The agreement includes shared cost investment by ULA. The work is expected to be completed by March 31, 2025. Northrop Gumman was awarded a […]
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SpaceX Falcon 9 lifts off with a Dragon resupply ship on April 2, 2018. (Credit: NASA)
by Douglas Messier
Managing Editor
The draft environmental assessment for SpaceX’s proposed expansion at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) also revealed that Elon Musk’s rocket company plans to most of more than 4,000 satellites of its planned Starlink constellation from Cape Canaveral.
That will guarantee a busy schedule for SpaceX’s Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at KSC and LC-40 at the adjoining Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS). LC-39A can accommodate Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy boosters while LC-40 is configured for the Falcon 9.
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden
The NASA Office of Inspector General has concluded that Administrator Charles Bolden did not violate any federal laws in consulting an oil company about the viability of an alternative fuel project in which the agency is involved. However, Bolden did break an Ethics Pledge he had signed and raised concerns about an appearance of a conflict of interest, the IG concluded in a report released today.