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US to buy eight more Russian RD-181 engines for Antares rocket — manufacturer

The US Congress earlier imposed restrictions on the use of these Russian-made engines in the United States

© AP Photo/Steve Helber

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Pentagon signs contracts on building rocket engine to replace Russia’s RD-180

MOSCOW, March 9. /TASS/. The US Orbital Sciences corporation will buy from Russia’s NPO Energomash research and production association eight more RD-181 engines for the US carrier rocket Antares, the Russian manufacturer reported on its website on Wednesday.

"The option has been exercised within the framework of the 2014 contract on the supply of the RD-181 liquid propellant engines for the first stages of the Antares carrier rockets," the report says.

Last year, NPO Energomash supplied four RD-181 engines to the foreign partners.

The company said previously it intended to produce four more RD-181 engines in 2016.

Russia’s NPO Energomash manufacturer also supplies to the United States the RD-180 engines that are used in the first stage of the Atlas V carrier rocket of the US consortium United Launch Alliance (established by Boeing and Lockheed Martin). It was announced in late 2015 that the sides concluded a contract on the supply of 20 more of these engines in the period until 2020.

The US Congress earlier imposed restrictions on the use of these Russian-made engines in the United States. The United Launch Alliance management said its available stock of RD-180 engines won’t suffice to fulfill all its obligations to commercial customers and simultaneously take part in government tenders in the upcoming three years.

To date, there have been 65 successful launches of Atlas V vehicles equipped with the RD-180 engines.

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Belarusian air defense registers increased number of NATO aviation sorties

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Russia sees tendency for Latin America to become one of multipolar world order centers

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NATO, Poland made no decision on deployment of nuclear weapons — Andrzej Duda

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Hamas leader wants to see Russia, Egypt, Turkey as guarantor countries for Gaza

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US accusing Russia of allegedly deploying nuclear weapons in space absurd — Lavrov

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Over 40 nations want to join BRICS — Russian lawmaker

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Knauf to transfer its Russian business to local management — company

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Over 280 recovered from mass grave at hospital in Khan Yunis — TV

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Conflict in Ukraine can be over by end of 2025, Hungary’s Orban believes

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EU reacts to worsening of situation for Ukraine by preparing for new world war — Szijjarto

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Russia looking to open diplomatic missions in South Sudan, Niger, Sierra Leone — diplomat

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