Exclusive: U.S. should spurn Russia rocket engines despite SpaceX failure - McCain

An unmanned SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket explodes after liftoff from Cape Canaveral, Florida, June 28, 2015.

/Mike Brown

The failure of a SpaceX rocket over Florida on Sunday should not lead U.S. officials to conclude there is need for a Russian rocket engine to help get military equipment into space, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain said on Monday. "This mishap in no way diminishes the urgency of ridding ourselves of the Russian RD-180 rocket engine," McCain said in a statement. (Reporting By Richard Cowan; Editing by Doina Chiacu)