United Launch Alliance (ULA) received a shipment Wednesday of two RD-180 first stage boosters from Russian manufacturer NPO Energomash

, according to a company spokeswoman.

ULA spokeswoman Jessica Rye said that not only did the company take delivery of two engines, but it expects another shipment of three engines later this year. Despite continuing to do business with NPO Energomash and RD AMROSS, the joint venture of NPO Energomash and Pratt & Whitney of United Technologies Corp. [UTX], ULA announced this summer it began feasibility studies with multiple companies to investigate next-generation liquid oxygen (LOX)/hydrogen first stage propulsion concepts.

A RD-180, which is made in Russia, undergoes hot fire testing. Photo: NASA.
A RD-180, which is made in Russia, undergoes hot fire testing. Photo: NASA.

ULA expects to select its future concept and engine supplier by the fourth quarter of this year to enable initial launch capability by 2019. The company is evaluating the technical feasibility of these new engine concepts for both private investment and the potential for public-private partnership. A lox-hydrocarbon designation allows for either lox-methane or lox-RP-1, which is used by the RD-180 (Defense Daily, June 17).

ULA last week announced longtime Lockheed Martin [LMT] executive Tory Bruno would immediately replace Michael Gass as ULA CEO. ULA is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Boeing [BA].