过去10年,联合发射联盟公司(ULA)是唯一的联邦航天发射合同服务商,每年发射8~10次且没有一次失利。如今情况变了,美国安全有效载荷发射的次数预计逐渐降至约每年5次,且Space X及其它发射服务商使用ULA难以匹敌的折扣价扰乱了市场。ULA面临着从垄断转变为价格竞争的挑战,这不仅在军用和民用市场,同样也体现发射数量庞大且定价残酷的商业发射市场。 Over the past 10 years, the United Launch Alliance (ULA) is the only federal space launch contract service that launches eight to 10 times a year with no loss. The situation has changed now that the number of safe payload launches in the United States is expected to drop to about 5 times a year, and Space X and other launching service providers disrupt the market with unmatchable discount rates from ULA. ULA is facing the challenge of changing from monopoly to price competition, not only in the military and civilian markets, but also in the large and heavily priced commercial launch market.