Air Force awards rocket engine development contracts

• The U.S. Air Force has awarded contracts to two separate firms involved in the development of new rocket engines to help end U.S. reliance on Russian-made rocket motors for national space launches.
• A $115M contract went to Aerojet Rocketdyne (NYSE:AJRD) for development of its AR1 rocket propulsion system prototype; Another $46.6M contract was granted to a partnership of United Launch Alliance and Blue Origin.