News A reengined Atlas V to possibly go to market?

[orbitingpluto]

Three firms are looking into buying the rights to the Atlas V, putting AR-1 engines on the first stage, and selling it as a competitor to the ULA's Vulcan and SpaceX's Falcon 9. A small portion of the article follows:

Monday was the deadline for companies to respond to a draft request for proposals issued by the Air Force in a competition to develop prototypes for a homegrown propulsion system.


Julie Van Kleeck, Aerojet Rocketdyne's vice president for advanced space and launch systems, said adapting a new U.S.-built engine to the Atlas 5 rocket was the "lowest risk, most rapid and affordable" way to end U.S. reliance on Russian engines. She said it made no sense to retire the most capable and flexible launch system available today.


Aerojet Rocketdyne says the AR1 engine could be certified in 2019, and integration onto the Atlas 5 should follow soon after.


Aerojet Rocketdyne, private research firm Dynetics Inc, and Schafer Corp, an engineering firm headed by former NASA administrator Michael Griffin, asked Defense Secretary Ash Carter about the data and production rights of the Atlas 5, and use of its launch facilities, in a letter dated April 29.

So, thoughts?

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Three firms are looking into buying the rights to the Atlas V, putting AR-1 engines on the first stage, and selling it as a competitor to the ULA's Vulcan and SpaceX's Falcon 9. A small portion of the article follows:



So, thoughts?

Unlikely IMHO, given that Aerojet Rocketdyne has been trying to sell its paper engines to no avail during the past few years, and in fact their market is rapidly shrinking (there's a chance that of the many great engines only the SSME will survive a few years down the road). They are trying to get back some of the market share with this, but I doubt it will come to anything.

 

[N_Molson]

I really don't see the point with the new "Vulcan" program. Also, the russian engines used were excellent (and cheap), so replacing them won't be for the better.

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

I really don't see the point with the new "Vulcan" program. Also, the russian engines used were excellent (and cheap), so replacing them won't be for the better.

Well, ULA won't be pushing it if not for the fact the the Congress is going to ban Russian engines. Competition from what-must-not-be-named-X by itself is not enough for such a drastic move.

 

[boogabooga]

I wonder f this would be going on had Aerojet Rocketdyne and not Blue Origin won the Vulcan contract.

 

[orbitingpluto]

There's an article up on SpaceNews about this, and they got a reply from a ULA spokesperson on whether or not they would be willing to sell.

“United Launch Alliance holds the rights to build and launch the Atlas V, and we have no intention of selling or transferring them,” Christa Bell, a ULA spokeswoman, said in an email to SpaceNews. “The Vulcan launch system is expected to produce its first flight in 2019, with full certification in 2022-2023. We expect to launch Atlas V into the next decade as we work with customers to meet requirements and transition to the new launch vehicle, continuing our focus on mission success, one launch at a time.”