Great news. At least now they qualify for future launches. Looking forward to certification.
Interesting. Is this Category 3 certification? If it's like NASA's then they chose the minimum number of missions for maximum qualification, which implies maximum insight and paperwork. BTW, I understand that since CRS-? Don't have a fairing, are not applicable to certification. It's apparently not only the fairing but payload interface. Of course that it does improves the confidence on most of the system.
We like your results but cannot condone your methods.
Does this mean SpaceX has supplied all the required data concerning their 3 certification flights, and USAF just needs to go over it? Is SpaceX now allowed to do something that they weren't before the announcement?
In fairness, it would be rash for the government to dismantle a working relationship/ability entirely because there is a lower cost provider.
A long track record of success is a long track record of success...
...and the US government has the funds to ensure their payloads get to orbit, whether or not bargain prices are available.
SpaceX will slowly get some of this business.... the transition won't be an all-or-nothing, overnight process.
I'm definitely a SpaceX fan but ULA is still awesome.
As long as both (or any) service providers can provide the required service,
As long as both (or any) service providers can provide the required service, then it makes no difference how long a track record one service provider has or not, the U.S. Government has no need to over pay - it gets no reward for overpaying assuming all the service providers do what is required.