Leaked emails expose intense lobbying by United Launch Alliance (ULA) leaders to undermine SpaceX. The exchanges focus on alleged favoritism toward SpaceX by NASA under the Trump administration, involving Elon Musk and regulatory concerns with China.
Just days ago, Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin escalated its battle against NASA's human lunar landing program by filing a federal lawsuit. This legal challenge, part of a prolonged effort to claim a share of NASA's funds—earmarked exclusively for SpaceX in the Artemis program—threatens further delays.
Blue Origin isn't alone in resenting SpaceX's dominance. Recently posted emails on a hacking forum reveal orchestrated efforts by United Launch Alliance (ULA), a longstanding NASA contractor, to discredit Elon Musk.
Six emails, shared by Ars Technica from exchanges in April and May, involve Robbie Sabathier, ULA's vice president of government operations and strategic communications, and Hasan Solomon, a lobbyist for the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers union.
In one email, Sabathier reportedly calls NASA leadership "incompetent and unpredictable", claiming the agency favored SpaceX for political reasons during the Trump era.
"NASA's massive taxpayer investments are being squandered due to cozy ties established by Trump's political appointees inside NASA," reads an April 23 email. "The U.S. deep space program is at risk: Space exploration threatened by political favors to Elon Musk."
Sabathier urges Solomon to alert new NASA Administrator Bill Nelson to this alleged Trump-era bias and push for a reversal, framing Musk as a major Republican donor leveraging influence for NASA contracts.
In another April 23 email, Solomon thanks Sabathier for a Townhall.com article criticizing Elon Musk's lax approach to safety rules. "This is very helpful!!! I'll meet White House public engagement staff next week and raise our concerns about Elon Musk," Solomon writes. Sabathier responds: "Let me know if you need anything else—we're here to serve you!"
The emails and attachments also accuse Musk of clashing with U.S. regulators over Tesla while complying more readily with Chinese authorities.
This aligns with known tensions: As Ars Technica's Eric Berger notes, Musk has a fraught history with U.S. agencies like the FAA, which has scrutinized Starship development. Meanwhile, U.S. firms operating in China must adhere to stringent local regulations.
ULA spokesperson Jessica Rye declined to comment when approached by Ars Technica.
While Blue Origin sues openly, recall that Dynetics also bid for the contract, with ULA providing Vulcan rocket launch services as part of their team. Unlike Blue Origin, Dynetics appears to have lobbied discreetly through ULA.
ULA persists in pressuring the government to challenge SpaceX's contract wins, alleging unfair advantages. Yet SpaceX secures these deals through superior pricing, speed, and efficiency. Instead of innovating to compete, ULA seems stuck in denial, resorting to criticism over competition.
This rivalry signals shifting dynamics in the space industry.
