WASHINGTON - Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) has dropped its lawsuit against the U.S. Air Force. The lawsuit had challenged a contract for multiple launches awarded to United Launch Alliance ULA). SpaceX called the ULA a monopoly because the contract limited opportunities for other companies to carry USAF payloads to orbit.
However, in a statement issued by SpaceX on January 23, the company said that "the Air Force and SpaceX have reached agreement on a path forward for the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program that improves the competitive landscape and achieves mission assurance for national security space launches."
The agreement calls for SpaceX and the USAF to work collaboratively to complete the certification process that will allow SpaceX to begin carrying Air Force payloads aboard its Falcon 9 launch vehicle. The press release says that the certification process will be completed in an "efficient and expedient manner." The agreement also calls for the Air Force to expand the number of competitive opportunities under the EELV program, while still honoring existing contractual obligations.
Elon Musk's SpaceX continues to aggressively pursue new launch customers. The company has bid for commercial contracts, military contracts, and civil government contracts. Meanwhile its low price continues to attract new customers. SpaceX will continue to get contracts. However, the real challenge for the company is to start conducting launches as a more rapid pace so it can meet its contractual obligations. SpaceX only conducted six launches in 2014.
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