The belief in “Buy American” is rooted and grounded in independence, self-reliance and self-sufficiency. It is a fundamental American ideal. However, sovereignty and freedom cannot be obtained if we do not even own the engines that result in the production we all celebrate. Only when we own the means of production can we rule under capitalism.
Fortunately, the U.S. Air Force is moving forward on a congressional directive that will end our dependence on Russian-made engines and preserve our access to space. The Launch Services Agreement (LSA) is an aerospace program which prioritizes investments in American-made launch vehicles to protect the country’s national security interests. On October 10, 2018, Phase 1 of the LSA completed and three domestic aerospace competitors were awarded contracts to begin developing rocket prototypes.