This report explores how the United States came to depend on the Russian RD-180 rocket engine as part of the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program, realistic options for the engine’s ...

The RD-180 is built by NPO Energomash of Russia and sold to Denver-based ULA by RD-Amross, a joint venture between Energomash and United Technologies Corp. of Hartford, Connecticut. Its key role ...

NASA engineers test a Russian-built RD-180 rocket engine on Nov. 4, 1998, at the Marshall Space Flight Center's Advanced Engine Test Facility (NASA via U.S. Defense Department) Though Congress ...