Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) has placed a hold on the nomination of Erin Conaton to be Air Force undersecretary over concerns with the KC-X tanker competition, the Senator’s communications director, Stephen Boyd, confirmed Tuesday. Boyd declined to elaborate on Sessions’ reasoning, but said the hold was put in place last week. It’s no secret (see below) that the Alabama lawmaker—in whose state Northrop Grumman’s industry team would assemble tanker aircraft if it wins the contest—has been unhappy with the language in the draft KC-X solicitation and the purported advantage that it would give a bid by rival Boeing. We reported last week that we thought a hold was in place, but couldn’t get confirmation from Sessions’ office then. In addition to Conaton, Sessions has placed the nomination of Frank Kendall on hold to be deputy undersecretary of defense for acquisition and technology.
Celebrating 100 Years of Liquid-Fueled Rockets
March 11, 2026
March 16, 2026, marks 100 years since Dr. Robert H. Goddard launched the world’s first liquid-fueled rocket. Over the past century, new and ever more capable liquid-fueled rockets have literally propelled humanity into space. Why liquid-fueled rockets?