Amid growing US efforts to harm Russia’s economy with sanctions, Russia has announced a move today banning the sale of RD-180 rocket engines to the United States for military applications.
The RD-180 engines are at the core of the Atlas V rockets, which the Air Force uses to launch military satellites into space. The Air Force has a contract with United Launch Alliance to buy the engines from Russia.
The Pentagon downplayed the situation, saying they have a two-year supply of engines in storage so near-term launches won’t be impacted. United Launch Alliance said the two year supply should allow a “smooth transition” to Delta rockets, which use US-made engines.
United Launch Alliance also angrily blamed rival company SpaceX for the Russian announcement, suggesting the SpaceX lawsuit against them had “threatened US military satellite operations.” SpaceX sued to try to stop the purchase of RD-180 engines, arguing it was a violation of US sanctions.
Interesting turn of events.
How dare the Russians feed us our own medicine! I believe it is very clear to the world that sanctions are in place as a one way punishment for those countries refusing to obey the dictates of the "International Community." Russians indeed have a bad attitude – they should take their punishment and spend the next ten years begging the goodhearted USA for relief. Russians are bad sports and are spoiling the supremacy of America as the world leader – their attitude cannot be tolerated.
I read on another news site that Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said Russia is going to prohibit the US from using ISS after 2020. What that actually means is access to the Russian segment of the station will be blocked to US crews or the Russians will un-dock their section from the US portion since the Russian segment has its own power, life-support and orbital maneuvering capability. Most of ISS's maneuvers and orbit boosts are performed by the thrusters on the Russian Zvezda module and I believe the US section does not have this capability to any great degree. NASA wanted to keep ISS going until at least 2024 to 2028, if funding remained available and with continued Russian support, which isn't going to happen now. China is planning a space station after 2020, so Russia should just join with them since the US is rapidly becoming a lost cause for any new major space exploration plans.
Imagine now that Russia won't allow anymore to use its transit bases for getting in Afganistan or decide to sale all its american bonds…
It's amusing watching the crony capitalists stab each other in the back. Hopefully the Russians can find another customer for their rocket engines.
Just another example of amateurs running the Obozo administration.
It's almost as ridiculous as Britain's Prince Andy Dandy's comment
that Bahrain is a (place) of religious freedom.