Media: US rejection of the RD-180 threatens the financial side of the NASA project – RIA Novosti

07:13 19.05.2016

(updated: 09:35 19.05.2016 )

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MOSCOW, may 19 -. RIA Novosti the Pentagon’s refusal to use the RD-180 Russian engines could affect the financial viability of the project of NASA, according to the Wall Street Journal referring to representatives of the aerospace industry

<. p> The debate between members of Congress from the use of RD-180 military projects have a negative impact on corporations United Launch Alliance, Boeing, Lockheed Martin. Now, it is said the source publication restrictions could affect NASA.

The publication said that due to limitations can dramatically reduce the number of rocket launches Atlas V, which may result in an increase in the cost of NASA missions. Some representatives of the aerospace industry predict that the cost of launches in the coming years could grow to hundreds of millions of dollars.

According to the interlocutors of the newspaper, the company Sierra Nevada, which was selected by NASA to deliver cargo to the space station is already entered into negotiations on the possible use of Russian and European missile instead of the US.

The Russian engines used on the Atlas rocket V, which is used to run the US Air Force units, as well as academic and research missions of NASA. Previously, the Pentagon has said it plans to abandon the RD-180 as soon as possible and will be worthy competitors.

In 2014, Congress decided to abandon the Russian engine and accelerate the development of the American counterparts, but this ban was lifted in budget law, which entered into force in December, and is valid until October 2016.