Q&A with ULA's Dr. George Sowers per ULA/Blue Origin announcement

• Q&A with ULA's Dr. George Sowers per ULA/Blue Origin announcement by Chris Bergin on 20 Sep, 2014 18:11
• ULA's George Sowers - VP, Strategic Architecture & Advanced Programs at ULA - United Launch Alliance - Lockheed Martin & Boeing - has agreed to a Q&A session with members of the NSF forum, relative to the Blue Origin announcement.  Dr. Sowers has been leading this activity for ULA.
  
  Keep your questions to single points, one question, per each member, in one post, so as not to overload. They need to be on topic.
  
  First questions can be posted below. Dr. Sowers will be around this weekend and early next week to answer them.
  
  Resulting quotes are obviously copyright to NSF. (I'll be looking to create an article from anything interesting at a later point).
• #1 by Kryten on 20 Sep, 2014 18:14
•  When did ULA become involved with BE-4, and what was the basic reasoning behind becoming involved?
• #2 by Joel on 20 Sep, 2014 18:23
• First of all, really happy to see this development! In addition to the engine cooperation between ULA and Blue origin, are there any plans to cooperate on other areas? For example on reusable rocket boosters?[/size]
• #3 by quanthasaquality on 20 Sep, 2014 18:26
• Didn't Atlas V vs Delta IV show that kerolox first stage with expensive engine is cheaper than hydrolox first stage with cheap engine? Why compromise with methalox?
• #4 by dkovacic on 20 Sep, 2014 18:26
• Why did ULA choose to anandon RP-1 and switch to methane?
• #5 by david1971 on 20 Sep, 2014 18:31
• What will be the major milestones for this project, and what is the associated timeline?
  
• #6 by Space Ghost 1962 on 20 Sep, 2014 18:32
• Is ULA pursuing multiple complementary strategies, paralleling Delta IV (hydrolox) and Atlas V, with these changes? Specifically how much is a BO derivative following the Atlas V Phase 1/2 direction changes like 5 meter first stage, and how much of existing Atlas V 4 meter is retained?
• #7 by Hauerg on 20 Sep, 2014 18:37
• Is  a modified/new upper stage part of the current trade studies?
• #8 by sdsds on 20 Sep, 2014 18:40
• Is ULA planning continued use of the Atlas V solids with its new launch vehicle?
• #9 by RonM on 20 Sep, 2014 18:41
• Will the switch to BE-4 methane engines enable later versions of Atlas to be reusable?
  
• #10 by Ronsmytheiii on 20 Sep, 2014 18:42
• Can you give a status update for ULA's Integrated Vehicle Fluids program?
• #11 by arachnitect on 20 Sep, 2014 18:43
• Thank you for answering questions Dr. Sowers.
  
  You may not be able to share much about it, but I'd be very interested to hear anything you can say about the evolution of ULA launch vehicles that will be using this engine. Is this the beginning of a common launch vehicle family?
  
  Congratulations on starting a new program and good luck as well working with Boeing on CCtCap.
• #12 by butters on 20 Sep, 2014 18:46
• What is the expected timeframe for Blue Atlas, and how does that compare to the schedule for the XCOR-powered upper stage? Is ULA committed to seeing both of these projects through to operational status?
• #13 by R7 on 20 Sep, 2014 18:48
• What kind of various flight configurations will the new LV feature?
• #14 by tesla on 20 Sep, 2014 18:56
• Will the redesigned Launch Vehicle(s) be known by a new name, other than Atlas 5?
• #15 by bubbagret on 20 Sep, 2014 19:01
• What potential synergies, if any, do you see between the Blue Origin/ULA partnership decision and other programs, such as DARPA XS-1? Does this decision better position BO/ULA as a more attractive prospect in relation to, or even to potentially take the lead in any other potential programs?
• #16 by Hyperion5 on 20 Sep, 2014 19:05
• Will ULA also use the Blue Origin BE-3 engine for the upper stage, or will there be an open competition for the upper stage engine? 
• #17 by DGH on 20 Sep, 2014 19:06
• Are you planning on the same payload to GTO as Atlas or larger?
  
  
• #18 by Chris Bergin on 20 Sep, 2014 19:10
• One question each. Ask four and your post will be edited to the first.
• #19 by robertross on 20 Sep, 2014 19:13
• Thanks for doing this!
  
  What are the expected pad modifications required to support this new family of launch vehicles?