United Launch Alliance

Infobox_Company
company_name = United Launch Alliance
company_
company_type = Private
foundation = December 1 2006
location = Centennial, Colorado
key_people = Michael C. Gass: CEO Daniel J. Collins: COO
num_employees = 3,800
industry = Aerospace
products = Atlas V, Delta II, Delta IV
revenue = unknown
homepage = [http://www.ulalaunch.com/index.html United Launch Alliance]

United Launch Alliance (ULA) is a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin that operates space launch systems using the Atlas V, Delta II, and Delta IV. ULA offers its launch services to U.S. government customers. [cite web | url = http://www.ulalaunch.com/index_about.html | title = About ULA | publisher = ULA] The joint venture officially began operations on December 1, 2006. [ [http://www.comspacewatch.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=21394 United Launch Alliance Transaction completed] ]

ULA's operations include production at the former Boeing plant in Decatur, Alabama with engineering operations at the Lockheed Martin complex in Littleton, Colorado, and along with a Lockheed Martin complex in Harlingen, Texas.

History

Boeing and Lockheed Martin announced their intent to form the United Launch Alliance joint venture on May 2, 2005. The joint venture merges the production of both of their government space launch services into one central plant in Decatur, Alabama and all engineering into another central plant in Littleton, Colorado. Boeing Integrated Defense Systems Delta IV and Lockheed Martin Space Systems Atlas V are both launchers developed for the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle program intended to provide the United States government with competitively priced private spaceflight and assured access to space.

SpaceX challenged the antitrust legality of the launch services monopoly on October 23, 2005. SpaceX is interested in competing for government launch contracts with the yet-to-be-built Falcon 9 rocket. On January 7, 2006 the Department of Defense gave preliminary approval to the United Launch Alliance while the Federal Trade Commission had yet to issue a final decision.

In September 2006, the Pentagon renewed their support for a United Launch Alliance. The Pentagon announced their support to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), who gave their anti-trust clearance on October 3, 2006.

The joint venture received final approval from the Federal Trade Commission and began operations on December 1, 2006. ULA is expected to bring an estimated 230 jobs to the Decatur Metropolitan Area.

On June 15, 2007, the engine in the Centaur upper stage of a ULA-launched Atlas V shut down early, leaving its payload -- a pair of NRO L-30 ocean surveillance satellites -- in a lower than intended orbit. [cite web | url = http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=defense&id=news/NRO062207.xml | title = NRO Shortfall May Delay Upcoming ULA Missions | publisher = Aviation Week] The anomaly caused delays to forthcoming Atlas V and Delta IV launches, due to the common RL-10 upper stage engines. The fault was traced to a new type of valve being used in place of an older component which had gone out of production. To resolve the problem, the older design will be put back into production, and in the meantime, surplus valves from the original production run will be used.

Launches

See also

*Atlas V
*Boeing
*Delta II
*Delta IV
*Lockheed Martin

References

External links

* [http://www.ulalaunch.com/index.html United Launch Alliance]
* [http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=16790 Boeing, Lockheed Martin to Form Launch Services Joint Venture]
* [http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=18460 Full Summons and Complaint by SpaceX against Boeing Company and Lockheed Martin Corporation]
* [http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0610/03ulaftc/ FTC gives prelimanary clearance to United Launch Alliance]
* [http://www.space-travel.com/reports/United_Launch_Alliance_Begins_Operations_999.html United Launch Alliance begins Operations]