WASHINGTON - Today, Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL), Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, made the following remarks on the hearing titled "Assuring National Security Space: Investing in American Industry to End Reliance on Russian Rocket Engines":
Today, Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL), Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, made the following remarks on the hearing titled "Assuring National Security Space: Investing in American Industry to End Reliance on Russian Rocket Engines":
"In the first panel, we have 5 expert witnesses from industry, who represent current and potential providers of space launch and rocket propulsion for the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle program.
In our second panel, we have 3 senior government officials who have responsibilities in managing and overseeing the EELV program, and we also have an expert advisor to the government on a recent launch study.
Thank you all for participating in this hearing, and providing your perspectives on this important national security issue.
This is our second hearing that we’ve recently conducted on space launch. We are dedicating the time to this topic because of its significance to national security. Without an effective space launch program, we lose all the advantages we gain from space capabilities. Losing space for our warfighters is not an option.
There are key policy and acquisition questions regarding the future of national security space launch that need to be addressed.
As I’ve said before, I’m committed to ending our reliance on Russian rocket engines for national security space launch. I believe we must end our reliance in a manner that protects our military’s assured access to space and protects the taxpayer by ensuring we don’t trade one monopoly for another. The House bill accomplishes this, and I look forward to the perspectives of our witnesses on the current legislation under consideration for the fiscal year 2016 NDAA.
Because we are committing to ending our reliance on Russian engines, we must invest in the United States rocket propulsion industrial base. Investment in our industry for advanced rocket engines is overdue. While we may lead in some areas of rocket propulsion, we are clearly not leading in all. This is painfully obvious considering that 2 out of the 3 U.S. launch providers we have here today rely on Russian engines. And it’s not just the Russians leading the way -- according to online press reports, the Chinese may be flying a new launch vehicle on a maiden flight this summer, with similar technologies as the Russians, using an advanced kerosene engine.
The time has come to resume U.S. leadership in space, and I believe the companies here before us today can help us do that.
However, I’m concerned with the Air Force’s approach in what may amount to a very expensive and risky endeavor in development of new engines, new launch vehicles, and new infrastructure. Congress has only authorized funding for the development of a rocket propulsion system. Launch vehicles are not the problem … the problem is the engine."
Panel 1:
Mr. Tory Bruno President and Chief Executive Officer of United Launch Alliance
Mr. Rob Meyerson President of Blue Origin
Ms. Julie Van Kleeck Vice President, Advanced Space and Launch Programs at Aerojet Rocketdyne
Mr. Frank Culbertson President of Space Systems Group at Orbital ATK
Mr. Jeff Thornburg Senior Director of Propulsion Engineering at SpaceX
Pane 2:
The Honorable Katrina McFarland Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition
General John Hyten Commander Air Force Space Command
Lieutenant General Samuel A. Greaves, USAF Commander Air Force Space and Missiles System Center
Dr. Michael D. Griffin Deputy Chair RD-180 Availability Risk Mitigation Study
