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NASA Awards Multi Billion Dollar ISS Supply Contracts
Washington (AFP) Dec 23, 2008 NASA announced Tuesday it awarded two International Space Station (ISS) freight contracts totaling 3.5 billion dollars to private space launch companies Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) and Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC). NASA made a 1.9-billion-dollar order for eight launches to OSC of Dulles, Virginia, and contracted 12 missions to Hawthorne, California-based SpaceX for 1.6 billion dollars, NASA associate Administrator for Space Operations Bill Gerstenmaier said in a telephone press conference. The contracts will fulfill NASA's needs to provide freight and services to the ISS by relying on private launch companies after the agency will retire its three space shuttles in 2010, Gerstenmaier said, adding that the contracts were essential to NASA's future activities and operations. The first SpaceX launch is scheduled for December 2010, and the first OSC launch is set to take place in October 2011. Both fixed-price indefinite delivery and indefinite quantity contracts take effect on January 1, 2009 and expire on December 31, 2016. SpaceX will make its first launch in December 2010, followed by OSC in October 2011. Each Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract plans for transporting a minimum of 20 tonnes of freight to the space station. The companies are also set to deliver cargo back to Earth, as well as waste and user equipment, Gerstenmaier said, adding that the space crafts will be pressurized or unpressurized depending on the needs. The cargo will range from materials for scientific experiments, spare parts and the resupply of food and other commodities. "These agreements will fulfill NASA's need to procure cargo delivery services to the space station using a US commercial carrier after the retirement of the space shuttle," NASA said in a statement. The contract will provide a transition between the end of the space shuttle program in 2010 and a next-generation launch system. SpaceX and OSC will transport between 40 and 70 percent of NASA's freight to the ISS -- 20 percent in 2011 and peak at 70 percent in 2013, Gerstenmaier said. NASA will also rely on services from Europe's ATV and Japan's HTV spatial cargo vessels. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said it is "a tremendous responsibility" for his company to win the contract. SpaceX has developed its Falcon 9 launch vehicle and Dragon spacecraft to support NASA. The spacecraft's third and final flight, set for 2010, "will demonstrate Dragon's ability to berth with the ISS," the company said. Orbital Sciences Corporation is planning to use a Cygnus space vehicle, which will be launched aboard its Taurus II launch vehicle. Both vehicles are currently under development. The CRS program will showcase "the types of commercial services US space companies can offer NASA," Orbital Chairman and CEO David Thompson said in a statement. Related Links Station at NASA Station and More at Roscosmos S.P. Korolev RSC Energia Watch NASA TV via Space.TV Space Station News at Space-Travel.Com
A Station Celebration
Cape Canaveral FL (SPX) Dec 05, 2008Ten years ago on December 4, 2008, NASA and its partner nations began building a dream: the International Space Station. On that date, space shuttle Endeavour lifted off on its 12-day mission to deliver NASA's Unity module and connect it to Russia's Zarya control module already orbiting Earth. |
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