Atlas V

Originally appeared at RussiaFeed.com
A significant portion of the American space program depends on Russia.  Most of us know that with the absence of an American launch vehicle, American astronauts to the ISS currently hitch rides with their Russian counterparts.  What may not be as widely known is that Russia is actually an exporter of rocket engines for a widely-used American launch vehicle.

RT | August 27, 2013

Russia’s Security Council is reportedly considering a ban on supplying the US with powerful RD-180 rocket engines for military communications satellites as Russia focuses on building its own new space launch center, Vostochny, in the Far East.