There must be something going on between Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) and NASA with this coy reply from SpaceX
We are currently reviewing the proposed procurement (its terms, scope, and duration). We are interested, as you know, in providing a domestic alternative to having NASA purchase Soyuz to carry US astronauts to and from the ISS.
in response to an email of mine enquiring about this interesting development with NASA's International Space Station crew transportation arrangements being opened up
Why must it be SpaceX? Well its only other competitor in the whole Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) and Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) programmes is Orbital Sciences and its Cygnus spacecarft is strictly for cargo
PlanetSpace just had its protest against Orbital winning that CRS contract denied and its partners included Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Alliant Techsystems
With all the kerfuffles early last year about Lockheed Martin/United Launch Alliance Atlas V's being used for some sort of transportation system those companies are saying little - in fact one notable aspect of the Space Foundation's 25th National Space Symposium was how low key the big primes were playing the Constellation programme. Unless you asked specifically about it there were no Constellation dedicated briefings to attend
And the Europeans and the Japanese are a long, long way from producing anything crew related, so scratch that non-Russian foreign option
So that leaves SpaceX. Hyperbola hopes to speak to NASA soon for more info...
PlanetSpace just had its protest against Orbital winning that CRS contract denied and its partners included Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Alliant Techsystems
With all the kerfuffles early last year about Lockheed Martin/United Launch Alliance Atlas V's being used for some sort of transportation system those companies are saying little - in fact one notable aspect of the Space Foundation's 25th National Space Symposium was how low key the big primes were playing the Constellation programme. Unless you asked specifically about it there were no Constellation dedicated briefings to attend
And the Europeans and the Japanese are a long, long way from producing anything crew related, so scratch that non-Russian foreign option
So that leaves SpaceX. Hyperbola hopes to speak to NASA soon for more info...
on April 28, 2009 9:47 PM | Reply
Interestingly enough, the guy over at the RocketsAndSuch blog hinted that NASA is about to divert 150 million $ towards COTS-D funding to SpaceX...
on April 29, 2009 4:46 AM | Reply
Economics 101, Supply meets demand and the rest as they say is "history" ? Maybe Nasa see's great potential in the Space x launch system. It would certainly save them lots of money and sweat.
Brad
on April 29, 2009 5:19 AM | Reply
Although it is risky to reduce the scope of the Soyuz seats procurement I think this is showing the confidence NASA has in SpaceX, Falcon 9 and Dragon. These systems WILL work... they better had. Awesome. Go SpaceX!