NASA Awards Space Station Commercial Resupply Services Contracts To SpaceX and Orbital

NASA HQ PRESS RELEASE, Spaceref.com ^ | December 23, 2008 | NASA HQ

[tricky_k_1972]

NASA Awards Space Station Commercial Resupply Services Contracts To SpaceX and Orbital

WASHINGTON -- NASA has awarded two contracts -- one to Orbital Sciences Corp. of Dulles, Va., and one to Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) of Hawthorne, Calif. -- for commercial cargo resupply services to the International Space Station. At the time of award, NASA has ordered eight flights valued at about $1.9 billion from Orbital and 12 flights valued at about $1.6 billion from SpaceX.

These fixed-price indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contracts will begin Jan. 1, 2009, and are effective through Dec. 31, 2016. The contracts each call for the delivery of a minimum of 20 metric tons of upmass cargo to the space station. The contracts also call for delivery of non-standard services in support of the cargo resupply, including analysis and special tasks as the government determines are necessary.

NASA has set production milestones and reviews on the contracts to monitor progress toward providing services. The maximum potential value of each contract is about $3.1 billion. Based on known requirements, the value of both contracts combined is projected at $3.5 billion.

These agreements will fulfill NASA's need to procure cargo delivery services to the space station using a U.S. commercial carrier after the retirement of the space shuttle.

For more information about the space station, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

[tricky_k_1972]

Now some good news for the privatization folks.

[tricky_k_1972]

We can either project our vision of the future of space exploration or allow some other nation to project theirs. Our choice is simple, Lead or Follow.
Space Ping! If you want on or off this list please Freepmail me. My Home Page

[The Magical Mischief Tour]

Sweet News!

[Nonstatist]

OSC is on a roll. Theyre winning every contract they go after.

[Cicero]

I have a physicist friend with some friends in NASA, and I got the impression from him that clinton screwed up the space program. And as with so many other things, Bush has failed to fix clinton’s monkey business.

I must confess that I’m unsure whether this announcement is good news or not. Personally, I’ve always felt that the international space station was a huge waste of funds better spent elsewhere. It’s chief original purpose was to make a show of improving relations with the Soviet Union, and I haven’t seen anything very useful come from it since, while a lot of good programs were cut.

But I haven’t really kept on top of this, I must admit.

[KevinDavis]

[AFreeBird]

We’ve probably learned quite a bit from Russia in regards to long term space habitation.

[ASOC]

ISS = Black Hole of FedGov dollars.

That said, this may be the new “mail contracts” that paid for much of the aviation industry and the railroad before that.

If we are going to move off this rock it won’t be with NASA - it will be with the likes of OSC....

[Cicero]

Thanks. Interesting analogy to the mail service.

[ASOC]

Most folks understnd, some don’t. IF the FedGov was not the borth mother, it sure was the midwife.

RR
automobile & trucking (Interstate hiways)
aircraft & airline services
now, thank goodness, SPACE.

The Internet today is still dependant of FedGov money (grants) that pay for LOTS of bandwidth.

About the only industry I can think of that the FedGov didn’t get directly involved in is undertaking....

Looking at other First World Nations, you see the same sort of pattern.

[norton]

Regarding 8, 9 & 10;
It is a shame that we can't just openly say that the government is sponsoring commercial development; not subsidizing it, not absorbing it, but sponsoring individuals and corporations to build new products and capabilities.

If they said it out loud there would be protests within 24 hours.

[tricky_k_1972]

What I'd actually like to see is a series of Fed prizes for the development of strategic technologies or great accomplishments.

A partial list;

1. A billion dollar prize to the individual or individuals that develops an energy source and distribution system and implements the system that can provide a SUV with power to drive say 100 miles at what amounts to a $1.00 a gallon or less for a similar gas powered vehicle that does not utilize oil.

2. A billion dollar prize to the individual or individuals that develops and implements a way to reach LEO from the surface at $100.00 a pound.

etc.

The idea being that it has to be done first before they get the money and society doesn't pay out until they get the product.