spacetoday.net: FTC delays decision on launch vehicle joint venture

Posted: Tue, Oct 25, 2005, 6:21 AM ET (1021 GMT)
Atlas 5 launch of MRO (ILS)

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), facing a deadline Monday to rule on a proposed joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Boeing, instead asked the companies for more information. The United Launch Alliance (ULA), first announced in early May, would combine the EELV operations of the two aerospace giants, consolidating manufacturing, management, and government sales. The proposed venture requires FTC approval under antitrust law, but at the end of a 30-day review period Monday the FTC instead asked the two companies for additional information about the ULA. The FTC's decision comes just days after SpaceX filed a lawsuit to block the ULA's formation, claiming that it would be anti-competitive. Some in the Defense Department have also been skeptical about the ULA, including claims that it would save the government over $100 million a year. In a joint statement, Boeing and Lockheed said that they remained confident that they would eventually win FTC approval for the UTC.