Fwd: U.S. has enough RD-180 engines for 2014-2015 program

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From: "Gary Johnson" <gjohnson144@comcast.net>
Date: May 15, 2014 6:50:44 PM CDT
To: "Gary Johnson" <gjohnson144@comcast.net>
Subject: FW: U.S. has enough RD-180 engines for 2014-2015 program

 

 

 

May 15, 2014 13:38

 

U.S. has enough Russian-made RD-180 rocket engines in stock for 2014-2015 program - engine manufacturer CEO

KHIMKI, Moscow region. May 15 (Interfax-AVN) - The U.S. has enough Russian-made RD-180 rocket engines in stock to pursue its space programs for two years even if it decides to sever the contract for these engines, says Vladimir Solntsev, the CEO of Energomash, a leading Russian manufacturer of liquid propellant rocket engines, including the RD-180.

"They are provided with engines for this and next year. They have enough engines now to carry out the 9 launches planned for this year," Solntsev told Interfax-AVN on Thursday in commenting on reports suggesting that the U.S. could sever a contract for the RD-180 engines with Energomash.

"They plan at least as many launches [using the RD-180] next year," Solntsev said.

The RD-180 engine won a U.S. tender in the mid-1990s in a competition with two U.S. producers and one European one. The RD-180 is based on the RD-170 engines used for the Energia and Zenit launch vehicles. The RD-180 is fully assembled at Energomash. The first serial RD-180 engine was shipped to the U.S. on January 2, 1999. Since then, the U.S. has carried out 40 successful space launches using these engines, including in the government's interests.

va cm

 

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