
A key lawmaker Friday floated the idea of paying United Launch Alliance (ULA) to keep its Delta IV rocket available for future national security space launches, in contrast to the company’s current plan to retire the launch vehicle later this decade.House Armed Services (HASC) strategic forces subcommittee Ranking Member Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.) asked during a hearing whether the federal government has the legal ability to force the continuation of the “Delta medium.” ULA has said it plans to retire the…