Review of NASA's International Space Station Plans, House Space Subcommittee, July 10, 2019On 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. GerstenmaierAssociate Administrator, Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationPaul K. MartinInspector General, National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationProfessor Joanne Irene GabrynowiczEmerita University of Mississippi, Editor-in-Chief Emerita, Journal of Space LawEric W. StallmerPresident, Commercial Spaceflight FederationThe event was webcast live and is in the public domain. The event's web page ishttps://science.house.gov/hearings/a-review-of-nasas-plans-for-the-international-space-station-and-future-activities-in-low-earth-orbit
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?
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.
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.
UAE to select next astronauts in January (that may fly on commercial crew):Quote from: Jeff Foust“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/
“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.”
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
Announcement of Opportunity: Commercial Exploitation of ETC (European Transport Carrier) Replacement on ISS ColumbusESA 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 exploitationThe 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.