Rivals target ULA's launch monopoly

摘要

The US Air Force, which purchases space launches on be-half of the entire US government, is dramatically changing the way it buys rockets after years of rising costs. A memo from Department of Defense acquisition chief Frank Kendall supports two approaches to purchasing space launches in an affordable way: pursuing a block buy of 36 cores from incumbent provider United Launch Alliance (ULA), and opening 14 launches to competitive bids.