Lockheed Martin and Boeing are close to choosing a buyer for the launch operator ULA (United Launch Alliance). This is stated in an article published by Arstechnica.
ULA is a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Boeing. It was founded in 2006 and for some time had a monopoly on launches under government contracts. However, after the appearance of SpaceX, ULA’s position in the launch market was seriously shaken. This led to a change in the company’s management and attempts to increase its competitiveness.
At the beginning of 2023, the owners of ULA decided to put it up for sale. According to Arstechnica, as a result, there were three potential buyers for it. The first is a private equity fund — a group of investors who plan to acquire a company, restructure and then resell.
The second potential buyer is Jeff Bezos-owned company Blue Origin. And this is not surprising. The acquisition of ULA will allow Bezos to receive an orbital rocket and guaranteed government contracts. It would also contribute to meeting Amazon’s needs in launching the satellites of the global satellite Internet system Project Kuiper.
The third potential buyer is an unnamed aerospace firm. It is reported that it is interested in increasing its space portfolio.
According to Arstechnica sources, the sale of ULA is close to completion and the buyer’s name may be announced within a few months. The deal must then be approved by the Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice.
Recall that ULA recently announced the date of the first flight of the new Vulcan rocket, which would replace the Atlas V carrier.
According to https://arstechnica.com
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