Some good news! See below:Quote from: yg1968 on 05/20/2020 07:01 pmhttps://twitter.com/Free_Space/status/1263182508641976320 Quote from: Irene Klotz@BoeingSpace says it doesn't plan to protest the @nasa Human Landing System awards to @blueorigin, @Dynetics and @SpaceX .. story upcoming http://aviationweek.com
https://twitter.com/Free_Space/status/1263182508641976320 Quote from: Irene Klotz@BoeingSpace says it doesn't plan to protest the @nasa Human Landing System awards to @blueorigin, @Dynetics and @SpaceX .. story upcoming http://aviationweek.com
@BoeingSpace says it doesn't plan to protest the @nasa Human Landing System awards to @blueorigin, @Dynetics and @SpaceX .. story upcoming http://aviationweek.com
Here is an article that talks about the importance of the success of the commercial crew program for the funding of the commercial HLS program:https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/space/lawmakers-demo-2-success-could-fuel-nasas-lunar-initiative
Quote from: yg1968 on 06/02/2020 03:01 amHere is an article that talks about the importance of the success of the commercial crew program for the funding of the commercial HLS program:https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/space/lawmakers-demo-2-success-could-fuel-nasas-lunar-initiativeUpon reading the words "could", "perhaps" and "believe" it is clear that any positive effects of DM-2 on NASA's lunar initiative is wishful thinking.
Another article on commercial HLS and the House NASA Authorization bill:https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/06/after-crew-dragon-soars-some-in-congress-tout-benefits-of-commercial-space/Quote from: Eric BergerAs NASA looks to procure a Human Landing System to take astronauts from lunar orbit down to the surface of the Moon in the 2020s, Bridenstine has been pushing for just such a public-private approach. In NASA's Artemis Moon program, he would like the space agency to be a customer of a lander rather than its owner. Some in Congress have pushed back, including Oklahoma Democrat Kendra Horn, whose legislation H.R. 5666 would require NASA to manage and own the lander.Asked about this bill, which remains pending in a House committee, Cruz said it does not represent where Congress stands on commercial space."The House bill you referenced, I think, is unfortunate," he said. "I think it’s a political document. It doesn’t reflect where Congress is and it doesn’t reflect what’s going to happen. We will continue to see close integration between NASA and commercial space."
As NASA looks to procure a Human Landing System to take astronauts from lunar orbit down to the surface of the Moon in the 2020s, Bridenstine has been pushing for just such a public-private approach. In NASA's Artemis Moon program, he would like the space agency to be a customer of a lander rather than its owner. Some in Congress have pushed back, including Oklahoma Democrat Kendra Horn, whose legislation H.R. 5666 would require NASA to manage and own the lander.Asked about this bill, which remains pending in a House committee, Cruz said it does not represent where Congress stands on commercial space."The House bill you referenced, I think, is unfortunate," he said. "I think it’s a political document. It doesn’t reflect where Congress is and it doesn’t reflect what’s going to happen. We will continue to see close integration between NASA and commercial space."
Quote from: woods170 on 06/02/2020 07:44 amQuote from: yg1968 on 06/02/2020 03:01 amHere is an article that talks about the importance of the success of the commercial crew program for the funding of the commercial HLS program:https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/space/lawmakers-demo-2-success-could-fuel-nasas-lunar-initiativeUpon reading the words "could", "perhaps" and "believe" it is clear that any positive effects of DM-2 on NASA's lunar initiative is wishful thinking.I disagree. The House NASA Authorization bill, which attemps to change NASA's acquisition strategy for option A of the HLS BAA, has no chance in the Senate and that will continue to be the case now. Senator Cruz plays an important role in that respect in resisting the House's attempts to change the acquisition strategy. In terms of appropriation bills, the FY20 Appropriations bills did not prevent commercial HLS from going forward. I expect that that will still be the case for the FY21 appropriations bills. But we will find out in July. In terms of the exact funding for NASA, we should find out in July as well. But the trend has been for NASA to get increased funding every year but we will see. Artemis and the HLS program may not get the entire extra $3B that the President is asking for. In any event, we are likely to be under a CR until the end of the HLS base period (which ends in late February).
Ken Bowersox's slides are worth looking at. They have some new renders and some adittional information about the landers:https://www.nationalacademies.org/event/06-08-2020/space-studies-board-and-aeronautics-and-space-engineering-board-joint-spring-meeting-2020
Join AAS this week for our next “Future in Space” online discussion – Human Landing Systems – with representatives from @BlueOrigin, @Dynetics and @SpaceX.
See below:Quote from: yg1968 on 06/10/2020 12:19 amKen Bowersox's slides are worth looking at. They have some new renders and some adittional information about the landers:https://www.nationalacademies.org/event/06-08-2020/space-studies-board-and-aeronautics-and-space-engineering-board-joint-spring-meeting-2020
Quote from: AASJoin AAS this week for our next “Future in Space” online discussion – Human Landing Systems – with representatives from @BlueOrigin, @Dynetics and @SpaceX. Thursday, June 11 at 3:00 ET https://twitter.com/astrosociety/status/1270010152721276936
[...] here’s a lightly edited version of what was said [at 35 minutes of the video by Nicholas Cummings of SpaceX]:QuoteFor the terminal descent of Starship, a few tens of meters before we touchdown on the lunar surface, We actually use a high thrust RCS system so we don’t impinge on the surface of the moon with a high thrust Raptor engine. The thrusters planned have a lot of heritage in the Raptor design itself. It uses the same methane and oxygen propellants as Raptor, so there’s a lot of commonality there. Going to be ramping up some very rapid testing activities in the coming year.
For the terminal descent of Starship, a few tens of meters before we touchdown on the lunar surface, We actually use a high thrust RCS system so we don’t impinge on the surface of the moon with a high thrust Raptor engine. The thrusters planned have a lot of heritage in the Raptor design itself. It uses the same methane and oxygen propellants as Raptor, so there’s a lot of commonality there. Going to be ramping up some very rapid testing activities in the coming year.
Over on reddit user spacerfirstclass dug up total contract value numbers for HLS: https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/comments/hkju5i/total_contract_values_for_nasa_human_landing/The whole post is worth reading but it comes down to this:SpaceX award 80MSFC20C0034: Total Contract Value $2.252BDynetics award 80MSFC20C0035: Total Contract Value $5.273BBlue Origin award 80MSFC20C0020: Total Contract Value: $10.182B
Ascent element screen capture that wasn't posted previously below. This is from the Lockmart hosted Webinar: EDIT: Webinar notes as I get to them.- Northrop Grumman is indeed looking after the cryogenic composites.- Blue Origin wants to do a lander demo in December 2023.- LOL ingress/egress system, or in laymen's terms a ladder - Multiple mentions of how they can launch on SLS or commercial rockets- Ascent element is meant to be refueled and reused.- Transfer element is designed to evolve into the refueling element for future missions.
Quote from: GWH on 07/03/2020 05:16 pmOver on reddit user spacerfirstclass dug up total contract value numbers for HLS: https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/comments/hkju5i/total_contract_values_for_nasa_human_landing/The whole post is worth reading but it comes down to this:SpaceX award 80MSFC20C0034: Total Contract Value $2.252BDynetics award 80MSFC20C0035: Total Contract Value $5.273BBlue Origin award 80MSFC20C0020: Total Contract Value: $10.182BSo if NASA downselect to SpaceX and Dynetics, they only need $7B total in out years, they can keep Artemis going even with the current low $1B annual funding for HLS, landing may not be 2024 but still fairly close, makes the program less prone to cancellation given the current political uncertainty.
https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/04/nasa-awards-lunar-lander-contracts-to-blue-origin-dynetics-and-starship/The awards, which cover a period of 10 months, were given to the following teams:"$579 million to the Blue Origin-led "National Team." [...]$253 million to a Dynetics-led team. [...]$135 million to SpaceX.
Late 2020 / Early 2021 Continuation Review to select two industry partnersAcquisition StrategyThe HLS program will utilize the NextSTEP BAA contract vehicle. Through this approach, NASA will award multiple firm-fixed-price, milestone-based proposals to enable rapid development of a crewed flight demonstrations of the human landing system. NASA has structured the solicitation to award contracts with the following contract line item numbers (CLINs):• Base CLIN - contract award through nine months - only long-lead items supporting the first mission and various design activities are allowed during this base period.• Option A CLIN - flight and landing demonstrations of human landing systems.• Option B CLIN - follow-on flight demonstration with a focus on sustainabilityInitial proposals include a firm-fixed-price contract for the Base period and Option A period. The Option B period will be priced at a later date.
Down-selection will occur through continuation reviews, with the goal of securing at least two offerors to demonstrate taking designs to flight. The first will launch in 2024, the other will launch in 2025.
Within sixty (60) days after the completion of all Continuation Reviews (CRs) during the Base period, and in accordance with the instructions set forth below in this Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), NASA intends to determine whether to exercise Option A, followed by a 30-day notification period to awardees. It is NASA’s intent to transition between the Base period and Option A period without any break in contractor performance. The decision to exercise Option A (formally authorize work initiation) rests solely with the Government, and no guarantee is made that an option will be exercised even though the contract will cite a value for the effort.
I was trying to figure out what the base period includes.
1.3.2 Overview of Contract Periods of PerformanceTo achieve a 2024 crewed HLS demonstration mission and a 2026 HLS demonstration mission that exhibits increased sustainability, NASA has structured this solicitation with the following discrete periods of performance that align with those objectives:Base period: Contract award through 10 months• CLIN 001 – Base: 2024 HLS Design and Development. 2024 Design and Development, excepting long lead items.• CLIN 002 – Base: 2026 HLS Design. Risk-reduction design work in direct support of a potential 2026 HLS performed during the Base period will be permitted. Note that long lead items necessary to support the 2026 mission are not within the scope of this CLIN.• CLIN 003 – Base: Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) for 2024 Long Lead Items. For this CLIN, long lead items are defined as flight hardware with a value of over $100,000 required to be procured during the Base period to enable a 2024 flight demonstration. Proposed long lead purchases are only allowed beginning one month after Authority to Proceed (ATP). Each long lead item shall be proposed as a separate sub-CLIN.• CLIN 004 – Base: IDIQ - Special Studies. Special studies, analysis, and/or support tasks as initiated by written direction from the Contracting Officer.