Lockheed Martin Corp. and Boeing Co., the nation’s two largest defense contractors, are studying a draft agreement of conditions for their planned government rocket-launching venture after a 10-month regulatory review.
The companies received the document from the Federal Trade Commission about two weeks ago, Thomas Jurkowsky, a spokesman for Bethesda, Md.-based Lockheed, said Monday.
He declined to comment on the contents or to estimate how long it will take for approval. The proposal was submitted for antitrust review Aug. 22.
Spokesmen for Chicago-based Boeing and the FTC declined to comment.
Companies such as Space Exploration Technologies Corp. and Northrop Grumman Corp. have raised concerns the venture would create a monopoly on government launches.
The 50-50 joint venture, named United Launch Alliance, was expected to save the government about $100 million to $150 million a year, the companies said in May 2005.
