Acongressionally mandated panel of experts has completed a year-long review of National Security Space (NSS) Launch Requirements for the US Secretary of Defense, focusing in particular on the ability of the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) programme to meet those requirements. With no breakthroughs likely in space propulsion or rocket design in the near future, the EELV family (Atlas Ⅴ and Delta Ⅳ) should satisfy all projected national security needs through 2020, according to the panel. However, the federal government likely will be the sole user of these launch vehicles and will therefore need to pay remaining life-cycle costs, the panel's final report underlines.
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