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2020-06-11 Science & Technology
You must share the pork. Now, damn it!
[SN] A May 29 letter signed by 28 lawmakers asks the Air Force to not cave to pressure to add a third provider in the Phase 2 launch services procurement.

Lawmakers and lobbyists are making a last-ditch effort to influence the Air Force’s game plan to procure space launch services.

The Department of the Air Force on behalf of the U.S. Space Force plans to soon announce the two winners of the National Security Space Launch Phase 2 launch services procurement.

Blue Origin, United Launch Alliance, Northrop Grumman and SpaceX are competing for two contracts to fly approximately 34 missions from 2022 to 2027.

“We are proceeding on schedule for an award in summer 2020. There are no significant issues affecting schedule,” the director of the Space Force Launch Enterprise Col. Rob Bongiovi said in a statement to SpaceNews.

The strategy to select two winners from a field of four competitors from the outset was criticized by launch provider Blue Origin. The company argued that the Air Force should select a third provider to widen the competitive playing field and create more business opportunities for the launch industry. That argument drew support from the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee Rep. Adam Smith who represents Blue Origin’s home state of Washington.
Blue Origin is the hobby company of Bezos and with a longer lifespan than SpaceX (yes hobby toys of the ultra-rich can do that) has never even launched a cricket into space let alone a sat or rocket.
Blue Origin, United Launch Alliance, Northrop Grumman and SpaceX are competing for Phase 2 contracts.

The push to add a third provider pitched Blue Origin against ULA, which has fought to prevent any change to the Phase 2 plan.
Posted by 3dc 2020-06-11 00:00|| || Front Page|| [3 views ]  Top
 File under: Tin Hat Dictators, Presidents for Life,  










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