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(Photo: BBC)
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Washington - United States Air Force has given permission to the private company SpaceX to launch military satellites and spies.
Approval was made after the US Air Force highlights the performance of SpaceX for two years.
"The emergence of a commercial launch provider SpaceX as open space competition in the launch service for the first time in nearly a decade," said the secretary of the Air Force James speeti Deborah quoted by the BBC.
The green light practically break the dominance of Lockheed Martin and Boeing were hogging launch military satellites and spy since 2006.
Founded by entrepreneur Elon Musk, SpaceX previously received a NASA contract to carry cargo and crew toward the International Space Station.
Musk said the decision was "an important step towards competition in the national space launch services .."
In June, the US Air Force is expected to hold a tender contract launch GPS satellites built by Lockheed. When the auction is opened, it becomes an opportunity for SpaceX to compete for the contract.
The US military has been relying on Atlas 5 rocket, which uses the engine from Russia, to transport cargo into space.
Nonetheless, the US military has a deadline to 2019 for using the system, because US lawmakers have banned the use of Russian engines to launch a mission related to state security.
Granting permission for rocket Falcon 9 SpaceX belongs will provide a new option for the US military.
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