TWO American rocket companies have received a welcome boost. NASA has chosen them to develop spacecraft capable of sending cargo, and possibly crew, to the International Space Station (ISS). The first test flights could come in just two years.
鈥淣ASA has chosen two firms to develop spacecraft to fly to the International Space Station鈥�
When the space shuttle retires in 2010, NASA will not have a domestic spacecraft to transport astronauts and gear to the station until its own crew exploration vehicle is ready in about 2014. The agency reckons it will still need to send missions to the ISS six times a year between 2010 and 2014.
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To fill this gap, NASA will fund Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) of El Segundo, California, and Rocketplane Kistler of Oklahoma City to develop launchers. 鈥淭hese companies have shown us they have the potential to be competitive, even globally,鈥� says Alan Lindenmoyer at NASA鈥檚 Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
SpaceX will receive $278 million and Rocketplane Kistler $207 million over the next four years provided they meet all NASA鈥檚 requirements.
The firms were selected from among more than 20 candidates, but this does not guarantee that NASA will choose their spacecraft. The companies will have to do three flight demonstrations before 2010. NASA will then hold a competition to award contracts. Other companies will be eligible to compete even though they did not receive money from NASA.
鈥淭his is a different role for NASA,鈥� says Scott Horowitz of the agency. 鈥淲e鈥檙e acting as a customer.鈥�
