The injunction against the Pentagon acquiring RD-180 rocket engines from Russia’s NPO Energomash company lasted less than two weeks, and was shot down this past week by a Federal Claims Court.
The injunction, sought by domestic rocket-maker SpaceX, argued that the US sanctions against Russia precluded the purchase of rocket engines from Energomash because of ties with Russian Deputy PM Dmitry Rogozin, and prohibited such purchases.
The Obama Administration contested the idea, insisting the sanctions did not cover rocket purchases by military contractors, and on Thursday the court agreed, removing the injunction.
The US presently has a two-year supply of RD-180 engines in the event of a supply disruption, but continues to depend on the Russian made engines to launch military satellites into orbit.
Last 5 posts by Jason Ditz
- Trump Declares EU a 'Foe,' Alongside Russia and China - July 15th, 2018
- Iran Says Will Leave Iraq, Syria Only If Those Countries Want Them To - July 13th, 2018
- Afghan Forces Kill Over 100 Taliban in Southeast Offensive - July 13th, 2018
- Afghan Forces Kill Civilians in Eastern Air Operations - July 13th, 2018
- US Airstrike Kills at Least 28 Civilians in Eastern Syria - July 13th, 2018
Well, is Russia evil or not? Or Russia is evil, but even Satan can be used for a good purpose? However we do not know the purpose. Another super-spying from high above?
Well, is Russia evil or not? Or Russia is evil, but even Satan can be used for a good purpose? However we do not know the purpose. Another super-spying from high above?
Russia has not yet banned NASA astronauts from hitching rides on the Soyuz spacecraft to get to the International Space Station, for which NASA pays millions of dollars per seat. However if Washington continues these idiotic "sanctions", I wouldn't blame Russia for grounding America's manned space program.
The sanctions only exist to massage the egos of politicians shocked to find that not everything goes their way. "Everything in the US is falling apart, but hey, we sure are tough on those Russkies"
Hey, destabilizing the world and supporting dictators and fascists around the world is so much more "ideologically pure" – it's not good to be seen as helping Americans who can't accept the fact that they are poor and getting poorer, dragging the country down with them. So much better to be part of the "true American" ruling class – above the fray and…spreading Democracy while trampling it here at home. But who's paying attention…time for some football.
The sanctions only exist to massage the egos of politicians shocked to find that not everything goes their way. "Everything in the US is falling apart, but hey, we sure are tough on those Russkies"
Hypocrisy and BS. I hate the complicit corporate media! The mainstream discourse on Russia and Ukraine is akin to People magazine's coverage of Kim Kardashian though I'm sure that paparazzi magazines have more truth to their stories than all of our news agencies who regurgitate the talking points they are given. I wish Russia would place sanctions on the US and NATO allies (i.e. the rest of the world) and decline to sell the US government/pentagon anything at all – global economy be damned!
This is proof-positive that the commercial well-being of Boeing/Lockheed-Martin take president over any foreign policy decisions, regardless of whether the foreign policy decisions are good or bad. Which in this particular case (sanctions against Russia) never should have happened in the first place.
SpaceX is gaming the system quite a bit here. As a small private operator it has to contend with the quasi-monopoly of United Launch Alliance, a heavy gorilla on state hormones so I guess it figures all is fair.
The US space program is so bankrupt we can't even send our men and machines up by ourselves. Whatever one may think of him, I don't think this was what Kennedy had in mind when he jump-started our imaginations- and industry- and pointed us to the moon. I doubt if ANY of our astronauts ever dreamed we'd be completely dependent on the Russians- or anyone else- to get us into space. Hell, we went to space on the strength of 1950's machinery and slide rules, yet we can't even build our own launch vehicles now?
Oh, and- as always is my comment where the USG is concerned- the hypocrisy is staggering.