EELV contracts are awarded

LOCKHEED MARTIN, McDonnell Douglas, Boeing and Alliant TechSystems have each been awarded $30 million US Air Force contracts to design concepts for the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) to replace the existing Delta, Titan and Atlas launchers, which are based on 1950s and 1960s technologies.

The first of a single family of EELVs will be flown in 2001, with reduced launch costs of up to 50%, according to the US Air Force.

Source: Flight International