The Air Force has settled its evolved expendable launch vehicle contract negotiations with Boeing, awarding the company a $674 million contract covering four Delta IV launches per year over a 16-month period that began June 1, 2006 and ends Sept. 30, 2007. USAF already had finalized its EELV contract with Lockheed Martin, awarding $815 million for a 24-month period that began Oct. 1, 2005 and runs through Sept. 30, 2007. The Boeing action should clear the way for the recently FTC-approved United Launch Alliance to take off.
The Space Development Agency says it’s on track to issue its next batch of missile warning and tracking satellite contracts this month after those awards were delayed by the Pentagon’s decision to divert funds from the agency to pay troops during this fall’s prolonged government shutdown.
