NASA to Make Major Announcement Today About Astronaut Transport to ISS
Not sure what's happening here. Could be interesting. Maybe they are going to go with Space X and the Falcon V2 sooner than planned? patrick
September 16, 2014 NASA to Make Major Announcement Today About Astronaut Transport to the International Space Station
NASA will make a major announcement today at 4 p.m. EDT regarding the return of human spaceflight launches to the United States. The agency will make the announcement during a news conference from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The event will be broadcast live on NASA Television and the agency's website.
A brief question-and-answer session will take place during the event. Media will be able to ask more detailed questions related to the program in a teleconference shortly afterward.
News conference participants at Kennedy are:
- NASA Administrator Charles Bolden - Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana - Commercial Crew Program Manager Kathy Lueders - Astronaut and former ISS Expedition crew member Mike Fincke
Russian sanctions = No ride to ISS for you! On Tue, Sep 16, 2014 at 1:01 PM, Wiggins Patrick <paw@getbeehive.net> wrote:
Not sure what's happening here. Could be interesting. Maybe they are going to go with Space X and the Falcon V2 sooner than planned?
patrick
September 16, 2014 NASA to Make Major Announcement Today About Astronaut Transport to the International Space Station
NASA will make a major announcement today at 4 p.m. EDT regarding the return of human spaceflight launches to the United States.
FWIW, during my visit to NASA HQ I asked the administrator about that. He said the Russian officials (especially the guy with the remark about the pogo stick) are not with the Russian space agency and that NASA's relationship with the their Russian counterparts remains good. He did say Space-X, Sierra Nevada and Boeing continue to work toward a human rated transport system but would not be ready for a while. Of course that was a month ago. Maybe "a while" = one month. :) patrick On 16 Sep 2014, at 13:09, Chuck Hards <chuck.hards@gmail.com> wrote:
Russian sanctions = No ride to ISS for you!
On Tue, Sep 16, 2014 at 1:01 PM, Wiggins Patrick <paw@getbeehive.net> wrote:
Not sure what's happening here. Could be interesting. Maybe they are going to go with Space X and the Falcon V2 sooner than planned?
patrick
September 16, 2014 NASA to Make Major Announcement Today About Astronaut Transport to the International Space Station
NASA will make a major announcement today at 4 p.m. EDT regarding the return of human spaceflight launches to the United States.
Here's the official announcement. patrick Begin forwarded message:
From: ksc@newsletters.nasa.gov Subject: [KSC News] NASA Chooses American Companies to Transport U.S. Astronauts to International Space Station Selection Date: 16 September 2014 at 14:57:21 MDT To: ksc@newsletters.nasa.gov Reply-To: ksc@newsletters.nasa.gov
September 16, 2014 NASA Chooses American Companies to Transport U.S. Astronauts to International Space Station Selection
Selection Will Return Launches to America
U.S. astronauts once again will travel to and from the International Space Station from the United States on American spacecraft under groundbreaking contracts NASA announced Tuesday. The agency unveiled its selection of Boeing and SpaceX to transport U.S. crews to and from the space station using their CST-100 and Crew Dragon spacecraft, respectively, with a goal of ending the nation’s sole reliance on Russia in 2017.
"From day one, the Obama Administration made clear that the greatest nation on Earth should not be dependent on other nations to get into space," NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden said at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. "Thanks to the leadership of President Obama, the hard work of our NASA and industry teams, and support from Congress, today we are one step closer to launching our astronauts from U.S. soil on American spacecraft and ending the nation’s sole reliance on Russia by 2017. Turning over low-Earth orbit transportation to private industry will also allow NASA to focus on an even more ambitious mission – sending humans to Mars."
These Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) contracts are designed to complete the NASA certification for human space transportation systems capable of carrying people into orbit. Once certification is complete, NASA plans to use these systems to ferry astronauts to the International Space Station and return them safely to Earth.
The companies selected to provide this transportation capability and the maximum potential value of their FAR-based firm fixed-price contracts are: -- The Boeing Company, Houston, $4.2 billion -- Space Exploration Technologies Corp., Hawthorne, California, $2.6 billion
The contracts include at least one crewed flight test per company with at least one NASA astronaut aboard to verify the fully integrated rocket and spacecraft system can launch, maneuver in orbit, and dock to the space station, as well as validate all its systems perform as expected. Once each company’s test program has been completed successfully and its system achieves NASA certification, each contractor will conduct at least two, and as many as six, crewed missions to the space station. These spacecraft also will serve as a lifeboat for astronauts aboard the station.
NASA's Commercial Crew Program will implement this capability as a public-private partnership with the American aerospace companies. NASA's expert team of engineers and spaceflight specialists is facilitating and certifying the development work of industry partners to ensure new spacecraft are safe and reliable.
The U.S. missions to the International Space Station following certification will allow the station's current crew of six to grow, enabling the crew to conduct more research aboard the unique microgravity laboratory.
"We are excited to see our industry partners close in on operational flights to the International Space Station, an extraordinary feat industry and the NASA family began just four years ago," said Kathy Lueders, manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. "This space agency has long been a technology innovator, and now we also can say we are an American business innovator, spurring job creation and opening up new markets to the private sector. The agency and our partners have many important steps to finish, but we have shown we can do the tough work required and excel in ways few would dare to hope."
The companies will own and operate the crew transportation systems and be able to sell human space transportation services to other customers in addition to NASA, thereby reducing the costs for all customers.
By encouraging private companies to handle launches to low-Earth orbit -- a region NASA's been visiting since 1962 -- the nation's space agency can focus on getting the most research and experience out of America's investment in the International Space Station. NASA also can focus on building spacecraft and rockets for deep space missions, including flights to Mars.
For more information about NASA's Commercial Crew Program and CCtCap, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew
-end-
This is definitely great that we are *finally* getting some kind of capability to again launch Americans into space. However, the announcement also mentions sending astronauts to Mars twice. I think to consider going to Mars without first going back to the moon is delusional and the probability that it will happen is 0.0%. Clear skies, Dale. -----Original Message----- From: Utah-Astronomy [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Wiggins Patrick Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2014 4:37 PM To: Astronomy Utah Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] NASA to Make Major Announcement Today About Astronaut Transport to ISS Here's the official announcement. patrick Begin forwarded message:
From: ksc@newsletters.nasa.gov Subject: [KSC News] NASA Chooses American Companies to Transport U.S. Astronauts to International Space Station Selection Date: 16 September 2014 at 14:57:21 MDT To: ksc@newsletters.nasa.gov Reply-To: ksc@newsletters.nasa.gov
September 16, 2014 NASA Chooses American Companies to Transport U.S. Astronauts to International Space Station Selection
Selection Will Return Launches to America
U.S. astronauts once again will travel to and from the International Space Station from the United States on American spacecraft under groundbreaking contracts NASA announced Tuesday. The agency unveiled its selection of Boeing and SpaceX to transport U.S. crews to and from the space station using their CST-100 and Crew Dragon spacecraft, respectively, with a goal of ending the nation's sole reliance on Russia in 2017.
"From day one, the Obama Administration made clear that the greatest nation on Earth should not be dependent on other nations to get into space," NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden said at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. "Thanks to the leadership of President Obama, the hard work of our NASA and industry teams, and support from Congress, today we are one step closer to launching our astronauts from U.S. soil on American spacecraft and ending the nation's sole reliance on Russia by 2017. Turning over low-Earth orbit transportation to private industry will also allow NASA to focus on an even more ambitious mission - sending humans to Mars."
These Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) contracts are designed to complete the NASA certification for human space transportation systems capable of carrying people into orbit. Once certification is complete, NASA plans to use these systems to ferry astronauts to the International Space Station and return them safely to Earth.
The companies selected to provide this transportation capability and the maximum potential value of their FAR-based firm fixed-price contracts are: -- The Boeing Company, Houston, $4.2 billion -- Space Exploration Technologies Corp., Hawthorne, California, $2.6 billion
The contracts include at least one crewed flight test per company with at least one NASA astronaut aboard to verify the fully integrated rocket and spacecraft system can launch, maneuver in orbit, and dock to the space station, as well as validate all its systems perform as expected. Once each company's test program has been completed successfully and its system achieves NASA certification, each contractor will conduct at least two, and as many as six, crewed missions to the space station. These spacecraft also will serve as a lifeboat for astronauts aboard the station.
NASA's Commercial Crew Program will implement this capability as a public-private partnership with the American aerospace companies. NASA's expert team of engineers and spaceflight specialists is facilitating and certifying the development work of industry partners to ensure new spacecraft are safe and reliable.
The U.S. missions to the International Space Station following certification will allow the station's current crew of six to grow, enabling the crew to conduct more research aboard the unique microgravity laboratory.
"We are excited to see our industry partners close in on operational flights to the International Space Station, an extraordinary feat industry and the NASA family began just four years ago," said Kathy Lueders, manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. "This space agency has long been a technology innovator, and now we also can say we are an American business innovator, spurring job creation and opening up new markets to the private sector. The agency and our partners have many important steps to finish, but we have shown we can do the tough work required and excel in ways few would dare to hope."
The companies will own and operate the crew transportation systems and be able to sell human space transportation services to other customers in addition to NASA, thereby reducing the costs for all customers.
By encouraging private companies to handle launches to low-Earth orbit -- a region NASA's been visiting since 1962 -- the nation's space agency can focus on getting the most research and experience out of America's investment in the International Space Station. NASA also can focus on building spacecraft and rockets for deep space missions, including flights to Mars.
For more information about NASA's Commercial Crew Program and CCtCap, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew
-end-
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I don’t think most of us will be alive to see people on Mars. Basically, 50% of all probes sent to Mars have been failures. None have ever tried to return. I would suppose that the Mars crew would want to return. Maybe not. In that case, I’m available. Dave On Sep 16, 2014, at 17:14, Dale Hooper <Dale.Hooper@sdl.usu.edu> wrote:
This is definitely great that we are *finally* getting some kind of capability to again launch Americans into space. However, the announcement also mentions sending astronauts to Mars twice. I think to consider going to Mars without first going back to the moon is delusional and the probability that it will happen is 0.0%.
Clear skies, Dale.
-----Original Message----- From: Utah-Astronomy [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Wiggins Patrick Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2014 4:37 PM To: Astronomy Utah Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] NASA to Make Major Announcement Today About Astronaut Transport to ISS
Here's the official announcement.
patrick
Begin forwarded message:
From: ksc@newsletters.nasa.gov Subject: [KSC News] NASA Chooses American Companies to Transport U.S. Astronauts to International Space Station Selection Date: 16 September 2014 at 14:57:21 MDT To: ksc@newsletters.nasa.gov Reply-To: ksc@newsletters.nasa.gov
September 16, 2014 NASA Chooses American Companies to Transport U.S. Astronauts to International Space Station Selection
Selection Will Return Launches to America
U.S. astronauts once again will travel to and from the International Space Station from the United States on American spacecraft under groundbreaking contracts NASA announced Tuesday. The agency unveiled its selection of Boeing and SpaceX to transport U.S. crews to and from the space station using their CST-100 and Crew Dragon spacecraft, respectively, with a goal of ending the nation's sole reliance on Russia in 2017.
"From day one, the Obama Administration made clear that the greatest nation on Earth should not be dependent on other nations to get into space," NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden said at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. "Thanks to the leadership of President Obama, the hard work of our NASA and industry teams, and support from Congress, today we are one step closer to launching our astronauts from U.S. soil on American spacecraft and ending the nation's sole reliance on Russia by 2017. Turning over low-Earth orbit transportation to private industry will also allow NASA to focus on an even more ambitious mission - sending humans to Mars."
These Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) contracts are designed to complete the NASA certification for human space transportation systems capable of carrying people into orbit. Once certification is complete, NASA plans to use these systems to ferry astronauts to the International Space Station and return them safely to Earth.
The companies selected to provide this transportation capability and the maximum potential value of their FAR-based firm fixed-price contracts are: -- The Boeing Company, Houston, $4.2 billion -- Space Exploration Technologies Corp., Hawthorne, California, $2.6 billion
The contracts include at least one crewed flight test per company with at least one NASA astronaut aboard to verify the fully integrated rocket and spacecraft system can launch, maneuver in orbit, and dock to the space station, as well as validate all its systems perform as expected. Once each company's test program has been completed successfully and its system achieves NASA certification, each contractor will conduct at least two, and as many as six, crewed missions to the space station. These spacecraft also will serve as a lifeboat for astronauts aboard the station.
NASA's Commercial Crew Program will implement this capability as a public-private partnership with the American aerospace companies. NASA's expert team of engineers and spaceflight specialists is facilitating and certifying the development work of industry partners to ensure new spacecraft are safe and reliable.
The U.S. missions to the International Space Station following certification will allow the station's current crew of six to grow, enabling the crew to conduct more research aboard the unique microgravity laboratory.
"We are excited to see our industry partners close in on operational flights to the International Space Station, an extraordinary feat industry and the NASA family began just four years ago," said Kathy Lueders, manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. "This space agency has long been a technology innovator, and now we also can say we are an American business innovator, spurring job creation and opening up new markets to the private sector. The agency and our partners have many important steps to finish, but we have shown we can do the tough work required and excel in ways few would dare to hope."
The companies will own and operate the crew transportation systems and be able to sell human space transportation services to other customers in addition to NASA, thereby reducing the costs for all customers.
By encouraging private companies to handle launches to low-Earth orbit -- a region NASA's been visiting since 1962 -- the nation's space agency can focus on getting the most research and experience out of America's investment in the International Space Station. NASA also can focus on building spacecraft and rockets for deep space missions, including flights to Mars.
For more information about NASA's Commercial Crew Program and CCtCap, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew
-end-
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Maybe we can tow the shuttles back through the streets and blast them off again :) I still can't understand why we get rid of something before we have a replacement. Thanks, David Dunn Software Engineer Sr. -----Original Message----- From: Utah-Astronomy [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Chuck Hards Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2014 1:09 PM To: Utah Astronomy Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] NASA to Make Major Announcement Today About Astronaut Transport to ISS Russian sanctions = No ride to ISS for you! On Tue, Sep 16, 2014 at 1:01 PM, Wiggins Patrick <paw@getbeehive.net> wrote:
Not sure what's happening here. Could be interesting. Maybe they are going to go with Space X and the Falcon V2 sooner than planned?
patrick
September 16, 2014 NASA to Make Major Announcement Today About Astronaut Transport to the International Space Station
NASA will make a major announcement today at 4 p.m. EDT regarding the return of human spaceflight launches to the United States.
_______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Send messages to the list to Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com The Utah-Astronomy mailing list is not affiliated with any astronomy club. To unsubscribe go to: http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Then enter your email address in the space provided and click on "Unsubscribe or edit options".
Reports are that Boeing and SpaceX will get the contracts for taxis to ISS. The reports I'm seeing conflict as to whether Boeing or SpaceX will hold a primary contract, with the other being a backup and equipment transport. We'll know for sure in an hour or so. With Boeing and Sierra Nevada's recent partnerships on rockets, I suspect they'll be the winners here with the little guys at SpaceX taking second place. The next space race might just be fighting over real estate on the station itself. I hope Patrick is correct about us having a good relationship with the Russians, but when we stop giving them half a billion dollars a year (and that's just for the astronaut seats), and considering the Russian economy and current sanctions, it will be interesting to see how things change in the next few years. Jared On Tue, Sep 16, 2014 at 1:15 PM, Dunn, David <David.Dunn@supervalu.com> wrote:
Maybe we can tow the shuttles back through the streets and blast them off again :)
I still can't understand why we get rid of something before we have a replacement.
Thanks, David Dunn Software Engineer Sr.
-----Original Message----- From: Utah-Astronomy [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Chuck Hards Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2014 1:09 PM To: Utah Astronomy Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] NASA to Make Major Announcement Today About Astronaut Transport to ISS
Russian sanctions = No ride to ISS for you!
On Tue, Sep 16, 2014 at 1:01 PM, Wiggins Patrick <paw@getbeehive.net> wrote:
Not sure what's happening here. Could be interesting. Maybe they are going to go with Space X and the Falcon V2 sooner than planned?
patrick
September 16, 2014 NASA to Make Major Announcement Today About Astronaut Transport to the International Space Station
NASA will make a major announcement today at 4 p.m. EDT regarding the return of human spaceflight launches to the United States.
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$4.2 billion to Boeing and $2.6 billion to SpaceX. Both companies have the same requirements and goals - each will build a 7-man crew vehicle and take a crew to ISS in 2017 with those budgets, but SpaceX is convinced they can do all this for $1.6 billion less than Boeing (though Dragon has a sizable head start over Boeing's CST-100). I hope both programs are successful. Jared On Tue, Sep 16, 2014 at 2:08 PM, Wiggins Patrick <paw@getbeehive.net> wrote:
It's Boeing and Space-X
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participants (6)
-
Chuck Hards -
Dale Hooper -
Dave Gary -
Dunn, David -
Jared Smith -
Wiggins Patrick