Orbital replaced in COTS team, but funding issues remain
Andrews Space has joined Rocketplane-Kistler’s (RpK) Commercial Orbital Transportation Service (COTS) team, but its financial contribution may not be enough to prevent RpK from failing the first milestone in the NASA programme to develop a commercial means to resupply the International Space Station.
The first milestone, set for around 28 October, requires the two competing COTS teams to prove they have funds to add to NASA’s first tranche under the $500 million COTS development programme. RpK’s competitor is California-based Space Exploration Technologies. RpK has to show it has $40 million to add to NASA’s funding, but last month Orbital Sciences, which had pledged $10 million, left the team.
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Orbital Sciences was to oversee work on the COTS launch vehicle, K-1 |
RpK and Orbital abandoned a strategic alliance after failing to agree on technical and financial details, and the loss of Orbital’s funding has threatened RpK’s ability to meet the first milestone. Andrews will add to RpK’s funds as strategic partner, but neither company will confirm whether its contribution will equal Orbital’s.
RpK business development vice-president Charles Lauer is bullish, however: “We are confident we can meet the requirements of the financing milestone.” He adds that the company is continuing to seek partners. RpK agreed that it would find over $400 million in private financing to add to NASA’s $207 million in funding.
Andrews will undertake the systems engineering, integration and mission assurance work for RpK’s COTS launch vehicle, the K-1 – some of the activities Orbital would have overseen. RpK has redistributed its former partner’s responsibilities internally and to other team members.
Source: Flight International
