14 DAY TRIAL // Officials from the American space agency have announced today the winners of a new series of contracts aimed at supporting the development of private spacecraft for NASA use. This series of initiatives is known as the Commercial Crew Integrated Capability (CCiCap).
On Friday, August 3, NASA representatives selected three American companies to design and develop a new generation of spacecraft. The contracts are very rigorous, in the sense that the agency wants to be able to launch its astronauts from American soil within 5 years.
At this point, the organization is relying on a $35-million-per-seat contract with the Russian Federal Space Agency (RosCosmos). The terms of the agreement stipulate that American astronauts can hitch rides to the International Space Station aboard Soyuz space capsules.
Needless to say, neither NASA, nor Congress, is too happy about this. Since the 2010 National Space Policy calls for an asteroid landing in 2025 and a landing on Mars by the early 2030s, NASA is not left with many choices. The agency simply has to work with the private sector.
As a result, NASA selected Sierra Nevada Corporation, Space Exploration Technologies Corporation, and The Boeing Company to lead the way in private spacecraft development.
Sierra Nevada, from Louisville, Colorado, will receive a total of $212.5 million, while Hawthorne, California-based SpaceX will get $440 million. The latter is undoubtedly the leader in this race, having already demonstrated that it can resupply the ISS with its Falcon 9/Dragon combo, earlier this year.
Houston-based Boeing was awarded a $460 million contract, NASA officials added.
“Today, we are announcing another critical step toward launching our astronauts from U.S. soil on space systems built by American companies,” NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said.
“We have selected three companies that will help keep us on track to end the outsourcing of human spaceflight and create high-paying jobs in Florida and elsewhere across the country,” he added.
Bolden made the announcement during a conference held at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), in Florida, the former home of the NASA space shuttle fleet, and the future home of the launch pads dedicated to the Space Launch System. The SLS is the new rocket NASA builds for space exploration.
“For 50 years American industry has helped NASA push boundaries, enabling us to live, work and learn in the unique environment of microgravity and low Earth orbit,” added the associate administrator of the NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, William Gerstenmaier.
“The benefits to humanity from these endeavors are incalculable. We're counting on the creativity of industry to provide the next generation of transportation to low Earth orbit and expand human presence, making space accessible and open for business,” he concluded.