[bombcar]

Ah, then it fits even better. I could have sworn someone had been launching on borrowed Russian engines, but maybe that was Boeing.

[MichaelCollins]

ULA's (Boeing/Lockheed) Atlas V has been using Russian RD-180 engines, and Orbital Science's Antares has used Russian NK-33 and RD-191 engines.

None of these were borrowed though, since they're all single-use only. Only SpaceX lands and reuses their first stage boosters.

[mrguyorama]

I think the story is that Elon wanted russian engines and they snubbed him so he got vindictive, like he does, but this time in a good way.

[njarboe]

He wanted to buy some Russian rockets to send a greenhouse to Mars, but they did not take him very seriously and quoted very high prices. After that is when he got serious about starting SpaceX.