NASA ISS Commercialization

[Olaf]

https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1148971168457777152

[Olaf]

https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1148971824778293248

[Olaf]

https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1148975482043555842

[Olaf]

https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1148976493906800640

[Olaf]

https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1148976493906800640

[Hog]

ISS to 2030?    Wow!

[FutureSpaceTourist]

Video of yesterday's hearing - now extra significance as last appearance by Gerst as HEOMD head:

Review of NASA's International Space Station Plans, House Space Subcommittee, July 10, 2019

On July 10, 2019, the House Subcommittee on Space And Aeronautics held a hearing titled, "A Review of NASA’s Plans for the International Space Station and Future Activities in Low Earth Orbit."  Invited witnesses were:

William H. Gerstenmaier
Associate Administrator, Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Paul K. Martin
Inspector General, National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Professor Joanne Irene Gabrynowicz
Emerita University of Mississippi, Editor-in-Chief Emerita, Journal of Space Law

Eric W. Stallmer
President, Commercial Spaceflight Federation

The event was webcast live and is in the public domain.  The event's web page is
https://science.house.gov/hearings/a-review-of-nasas-plans-for-the-international-space-station-and-future-activities-in-low-earth-orbit

[starbase]

With Crew Dragon, Starliner, now Dragon 2 and later Dream Chaser all using the two available PMA/IDA docking ports, I wonder if it's not time to convert one CBM to a docking port with a new adapter module. Especially as additional crew flights with commercial astronauts were announced just recently. Are just two docking ports enough to handle all those visiting vehicles?

[brickmack]

With Crew Dragon, Starliner, now Dragon 2 and later Dream Chaser all using the two available PMA/IDA docking ports, I wonder if it's not time to convert one CBM to a docking port with a new adapter module. Especially as additional crew flights with commercial astronauts were announced just recently. Are just two docking ports enough to handle all those visiting vehicles?

Still need at least 2 CBMs for redundancy, unless all visiting vehicles move to IDS (all 3 commercial cargo vehicles use IDS either exclusively or as an option, but HTV is CBM only). Most of the proposals for the commercial module at Node 2 forward will add a couple radial ports (some CBM, some IDS), these could be used for crew vehicle docking

[TrevorMonty]

This is mainly about Nanoracks but also covers future of ISS. Also listen to part 1.

https://spaceq.ca/the-commercialization-of-low-earth-orbit-space-station-habitats-part-2/

Nanoracks initial focus is unmanned (vibration free) free flyers. Ideally close to ISS to allow occasional crew visits and also to tag onto ISS supply train.
While Nanoracks are interested in manned stations, I can't see them going after this market anytime soon. The unmanned stations are lot cheaper to setup and maintain.

[AnalogMan]

Pre-solicitation for private astronaut missions to ISS was announced today:

Single Seat Flight Opportunity

Notice ID 80JSC020SSFO
Original Published Date: Nov 26, 2019 03:28 pm CST

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) is issuing this pre-solicitation notice as a means to inform commercial entities having an interest in and the resources necessary to support the requirement for an International Space Station (ISS) single flight opportunity for a duration of 15 to 30 days to be performed no later than 2024. The Agency intends to fulfill this requirement by utilizing a seat on a private astronaut mission (https://www.nasa.gov/leo-economy/private-astronaut-missions), inclusive of crew member training, medical support, launch, on-orbit services and resources, and return.  Prospective offerors may propose the use of government provided resources and services on a negotiated basis as required to enable the flight opportunity.  NASA retains authority for crew assignment of the single seat.

The government intends to compete this requirement as a full and open competition utilizing Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 12 “Commercial Item” and a streamlined procurement approach.

Parties interested in fulfilling this ISS single flight opportunity requirement must first submit a private astronaut mission white paper in response to ISS NASA Research Announcement NNJ13ZBG001N entitled “Research Opportunities for ISS Utilization” dated August 16, 2019, Focus Area 4 entitled “Private Astronaut Missions to the International Space Station”, which can be accessed here: https://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/viewrepositorydocument/cmdocumentid=704239/solicitationId=%7B21E0270C-BC1F-EFC4-3D87-30713B5FF373%7D/viewSolicitationDocument=1/2012%20Research%20Opportunities%20for%20ISS%20Utilization%20NRA%20Aug%202019_8.16.pdf.

The white paper submittal to the NRA in support of this potential acquisition must outline the private astronaut mission concept, including accommodating the NASA single seat on a mission where the NASA seat occupant is one of no more than four total crew members on the private astronaut mission.  NASA will review the white paper and provide a high-level feasibility assessment to the proposer within three weeks of receipt.  Only offerors who obtain a successful private astronaut mission feasibility assessment will be eligible to submit a proposal for the planned future single flight opportunity solicitation.  The solicitation will detail the proposal submission requirements applicable to the single flight opportunity.

The private astronaut mission will be responsible for all aspects of seat integration. NASA intends to make available up to two private astronaut mission opportunities per year based on currently available schedule information and will make available one of those opportunities to fulfill this single seat requirement. The mission schedule is subject to NASA vehicle traffic changes, anomalies, or other unforeseen circumstances that may arise.

https://beta.sam.gov/opp/13cc1b5699ac4d548723bbb1eeea65e7/view

(pdf file referenced above is also attached)

[yg1968]

Related to the post above:

NASA Announces Intent to Procure a Future Short Duration Spaceflight Opportunity:
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-announces-intent-to-procure-a-future-short-duration-spaceflight-opportunity

[FutureSpaceTourist]

Hmmm

https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1207333066043211776

In a briefing at KSC on commercial crew and LEO commercialization, NASA’s Sam Scimemi says the agency is still evaluating what the $15M in FY20 for LEO commercialization (vs $150M requested) means for that overall initiative.

[Olaf]

https://www.alphaspace.com/news/individuals-and-merchants-can-now-fly-goods-on-iss/
Individuals and Merchants Can Now Fly Goods on ISS

[su27k]

NASA adjusting its strategy for LEO commercialization

Less than a year after rolling out a broad strategy for supporting commercial activity in low Earth orbit, NASA is working to revise that strategy while restructuring its management of commercial initiatives.

[yg1968]

See post below (this is a commercial opportunity since the UAE could pay a commercial crew provider for its seat as it did for Soyuz for its first astronaut in 2019):

UAE to select next astronauts in January (that may fly on commercial crew):

“While they are training, we will be looking at the different options for flights and select the most suitable for us going forward,” he said [Salem AlMarri, the head of the UAE astronaut program],  That could include flights on Russian Soyuz spacecraft as well as SpaceX’s Crew Dragon and Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner. “We plan through next year to look at trying to get different opportunities to secure a seat for one of our astronauts.”

https://spacenews.com/uae-to-select-next-astronauts-in-january/

[high road]

According to the 2019 budget request, ISS Systems Operations and Maintenance cost 1,105.5 million dollars per year. That's without the funding for research and commercial cargo and crew. If a commercial space station needs to cover the same cost, that's a hard bar to clear.

Any ideas why this is so high? Where could I find more information about what elements contribute to this number?

I'm currently running a simulation on which factors have the most effect on the cost of using a space station, and this one is coming up on top. Playing with it has a huge effect on prices a space station can ask for its services. I'd like my guesstimates to be somewhat realistic.

[yg1968]

Related to the post above:

NASA Announces Intent to Procure a Future Short Duration Spaceflight Opportunity:
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-announces-intent-to-procure-a-future-short-duration-spaceflight-opportunity

This synopsis was quietly cancelled on Feb. 6th 2020: "NASA has canceled the synopsis for single seat acquisition, and the agency is reevaluating its strategy for meeting short-duration astronaut mission requirements."

[Rik ISS-fan]

Sorry this is about ESA ISS commercialization.
Business Opportunities/Partners for Space Exploration

Announcement of Opportunity: Commercial Exploitation of ETC (European Transport Carrier) Replacement on ISS Columbus

ESA is preparing an upgrade of the passive Columbus D4 rack position currently occupied by the European Transport Carrier (ETC). Based on extended accommodation needs for further Class 2 payloads in Columbus, this location will be upgraded to an active rack location/platform. This new Columbus infrastructure item is named 'ETC Replacement' aimed to provide basic resources such as power, thermal control, and physical accommodation to current and future experiment and technology demonstration devices. Data routing will be achieved via MPCC.

Commercial development and exploitation

The ETC Replacement is planned to be developed in the frame of an Invitation to Tender (ITT), published on EMITS under the new reference AO 1-10351/20/NL/PG/eg (re-issued) with a deadline for submissions no later than 6 July 2020 (extended). At the same time, ESA is interested in the commercial development and exploitation of the ETC Replacement facility as a commercial service, however the preferred approach has not been selected.

This could become the fourth european commercial facility at the ISS. After: ICEcubes, Bartolomeo and Bioreactor Express.
This is a full storage rack (ISPR/Class1) location that can utilize power and cooling from an adjacent science rack.
NASA and CASIS are a lot farther with commercialization of the ISS. But ESA joins the effort.
 

[AnalogMan]

Yesterday NASA released an RFI titled "Private Astronaut Mission Liability Framework"

Link is as follows:
https://beta.sam.gov/opp/ad4bfe9315004a4cbfe4cc0716431ce9/view

The scope is for missions to the ISS and has the following opening remarks:

On June 7, 2019, NASA issued the "NASA Plan for Commercial LEO Development,” which outlined a multi-pronged approach to enabling commercial activity in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) as described here: https://nasa.gov/leo-economy/vision-for-low-earth-orbit-economy.  This approach includes enabling flight of private astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS).

In order to enable such Private Astronaut Missions (PAMs), NASA released additional guidance regarding PAMs to the ISS, including the process for seeking approval of a PAM.  More specifically, NASA expanded the International Space Station Utilization NASA Research Announcement to add Focus Area 4, Private Astronaut Missions.  To effectuate Private Astronaut Missions to the ISS envisioned in the NRA, NASA is establishing a liability framework.   

NASA is requesting feedback on the current proposed liability framework for Private Astronaut Missions, as outlined below, and its perceived impact on the goals set forth in NASA’s Vision for Economic Development in LEO.

There are more details in the RFI link, but so far no additional supporting documents have been posted.