
The Defense Department is resisting proposed House legislation that would prohibit use of the Russian-made RD-180 rocket engines in national security space launches, according to a letter obtained by Defense Daily. In an April 3 letter to House Armed Services Committee Chairman Buck McKeon (R-Calif.), Assistant Defense Secretary for Legislative Affairs Elizabeth King strongly opposes legislation that would require DoD shift all Atlas V missions, which use the RD-180, to the Delta IV or new entrants, if and when they…