A federal judge Tuesday denied the federal government’s motion for clarification of her preliminary injunction order barring the service and national security launch provider United Launch Alliance (ULA) from doing business with companies controlled by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin until the Treasury, Commerce and State departments weigh in.
The order from Judge Susan Braden was issued without explanation, but did cite a Monday status conference. The government Friday asked the court to confirm its injunction did not apply to purchases from, or to, ULA. Braden, in her injunction, said her main concern was that money flowing into the hands of state controlled companies headed by Rogozin could violate recent economic sanctions issued by President Barack Obama (Defense Daily, May 5).
ULA purchases the Russian-made RD-180 engine for use in national security space launches from RD AMROSS, a joint venture that includes NPO Energomash, which is alleged to be controlled by Rogozin. The RD-180 is distributed in the United States by RD AMROSS, a joint venture of NPO Energomash and Pratt & Whitney of United Technologies Corp. [UTX]. ULA is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin [LMT] and Boeing [BA].
Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) is suing the Air Force to force it to compete its sole sourced block buy of national security space launches to ULA. SpaceX won a temporary injunction April 30 (Defense Daily, May 1).