The U.S. House Intelligence Committee likely will make a bipartisan push to fund an American-made rocket engine that would rival the Russian-made RD-180 that powers the first stage of United Launch Alliance's Atlas 5 rocket, a key U.S. government workhorse, according to Rep. C.A. "Dutch" Ruppersberger (D-Md.), the panel's ranking member. Ruppersberger said his staff estimates the development program would cost about $1.2 billion and take about four years. The resulting engine could be used to launch commercial as well as national security missions, he said. Other House committees also could try this year to fund work on an RD-180 alternative, he said.
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