HELLFIRE
Interestingly that report also stated:
Further heightening this risk is the current reliance on a single launch provider for cargo and crew that may disrupt planned ISS operations. Should the single launch vehicle be grounded or fail, the United States would not have the ability to transport cargo and crew to the Station. Instead, NASA would once again be reliant on its international partners to transport cargo and crew to continue conducting science and research.
NASA is not currently counting Antares rockets for cargo (since they’re between launch vehicle versions and the last 3 Cygnus modules were launched on Falcon rockets) or Starliners for crew (since they have to go back to testing and have no timeline when an actual ISS crew can launch).
Northrop Grumman Antares still has 3 Cygnus cargo launch missions planned to meet their 25 mission launch contract. The retired NG Antares 230+ version ran on Russian engines and the new Atares 330 version (seemingly called MLV, and in the last month Eclipse) made by Firefly hasn’t finished being built yet, let alone launch tested. NG just “invested” $50 million on Firefly in May and Firefly is going public shortly. Antares 330/MLV/Eclipse first launch was supposed to occur in 2024, but is now very tentively for 2nd half of 2026. It’s a complicated situation with this rocket.
Starliner has 6 crew launch missions planned, but the Atlas V launch vehicles for them have been promised to Blue Origin now on a first come, first serve basis. It could also launch on Vulcan (which is NOT crew rated yet) or Falcon.
At this point NASA is down to Falcon for ISS support in the foreseeable future.
That explains why they’re negotiating with the Russians again to support ISS operations until 2028.
https://broadbandbulletin.com/d/4711-russiausa-extend-iss-cooperation-until-2028
https://phys.org/news/2025-07-russian-space-chief-nasa-iss.html#google_vignette