Author Topic: LIVE: CCDev-2 Awards and Decision Discussion - April 18 (Read 220610 times)

Antares · « **Reply #40 on:** 04/18/2011 08:58 pm »

BO is interesting. Either my sources suck, they're engaging in disinformation or the evaluators didn't dig deep enough.

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #41 on:** 04/18/2011 08:59 pm »

Boeing Presser:

oeing (NYSE: BA) has been selected for the second round of NASA's Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) program. Under a $92.3 million CCDev-2 contract, the company will further mitigate program risk and mature the system design of its Crew Space Transportation (CST)-100 spacecraft.

"We are combining lessons learned and best practices from commercial airplanes, satellites and launch systems with those from human spaceflight programs such as the space shuttle and the International Space Station to design, deliver and fly the CST-100 in 2015," said John Elbon, vice president and program manager, Boeing Commercial Crew Programs.

The CST-100 spacecraft - comprised of a crew module and a service module - relies on proven materials and subsystem technologies that are safe and affordable. Boeing also plans to supply the CST-100 to Bigelow Aerospace for that company's space station. The CST-100 is designed to carry up to seven people, or a combination of people and cargo, and is compatible with a variety of expendable launch vehicles.

Under the initial CCDev Space Act Agreement of 2010, Boeing successfully completed several risk reduction demonstrations and a System Definition Review (SDR) in October, with only $18 million in government investment. The SDR defined the CST-100 spacecraft's system characteristics and configuration and established a baseline design. Among the many accomplishments Boeing achieved during this first phase of the CCDev program were the design, build and testing of a pressurized structure of the crew module and an avionics systems integration facility to support rapid prototyping and full-scale development.

"Boeing's CCDev performance to date is an example of how the company's innovative and experienced team is successfully partnering with NASA in a commercial environment," Elbon said.

NASA's new 14-month CCDev-2 Space Act Agreement builds on the work performed during the first round of CCDev and enables Boeing to further mature its system to a Preliminary Design Review, a critical step that ensures the system design meets all requirements. Boeing also will conduct key demonstrations and development tests. The company plans to gather performance data on the launch abort system and the service module fuel tank; evaluate vehicle ascent performance in wind tunnel testing; and build on earlier landing air bag and parachute demonstrations with more in-depth investigations.

Most of the work will be located at Boeing sites at Kennedy Space Center, Fla.; Houston; Huntington Beach, Calif.; and Huntsville, Ala.Key suppliers include Bigelow Aerospace (www.bigelowaerospace.com), Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne (www.pw.utc.com/Products/Pratt+%26+Whitney+Rocketdyne), Airborne Systems (www.airborne-sys.com), ILC Dover (www.ilcdover.com), Spincraft (www.spincraft.net), United Space Alliance (www.unitedspacealliance.com) and the ARES Corporation (www.arescorporation.com).

Boeing's Commercial Crew Transportation System includes the CST-100 spacecraft, launch services and ground systems - all integrated to support a safe and reliable operations concept. Using expertise and resources from across the Boeing enterprise provides a complete end-to-end transportation service to support NASA crew transportation to and from the International Space Station.
A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security (www.boeing.com/bds) is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $32 billion business with 66,000 employees worldwide. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense (www.twitter.com/boeingdefense).

Robotbeat · « **Reply #42 on:** 04/18/2011 08:59 pm »

They hope to get Blue Origin's space system design to Systems Requirement Review level, the capsule, the pusher escape system.

notherspacexfan · « **Reply #43 on:** 04/18/2011 08:59 pm »

Space Act Agreements now posted

http://procurement.ksc.nasa.gov/

simonbp · « **Reply #44 on:** 04/18/2011 09:00 pm »

Well, to keep the aeronautic analogy going (as LAS is meant to be used in-atmo), Dragon is mid-engined.

Integrated vs. ejected is maybe the better comparison, with Orion being the only one with a non-integrated LAS.

Bernie Roehl · « **Reply #45 on:** 04/18/2011 09:00 pm »

Quote from: Norm Hartnett on 04/18/2011 08:56 pm

Wait, what? BO was the pusher, Space X is side mount, CST-100 is tractor and I have no idea what their doing with Dream Chaser.

I believe the previous poster included the side mount in the "pusher" category, which is reasonable. Dreamchaser is also a pusher (they use their main propulsion system for launch abort, which is a clever idea since it saves the mass of a separate LAS).

Norm Hartnett · « **Reply #46 on:** 04/18/2011 09:00 pm »

Quote from: hektor on 04/18/2011 08:57 pm

Are you sure CST-100 is tractor

No, and I have been corrected by many

The announcement did clearly articulate SpaceX's LAS as side mount.

Ronsmytheiii · « **Reply #47 on:** 04/18/2011 09:01 pm »

Audio of the announcement, plus a few questions

robertross · « **Reply #48 on:** 04/18/2011 09:01 pm »

Quote from: Antares on 04/18/2011 08:58 pm

BO is interesting. Either my sources suck, they're engaging in disinformation or the evaluators didn't dig deep enough.

INteresting...

simonbp · « **Reply #49 on:** 04/18/2011 09:02 pm »

Quote from: Robotbeat on 04/18/2011 08:59 pm

They hope to get Blue Origin's space system design to Systems Requirement Review level, the capsule, the pusher escape system.

So, it's basically one CCDEV behind CST-100 and DC, and two behind Dragon.

Robotbeat · « **Reply #50 on:** 04/18/2011 09:02 pm »

Question about Blue Origin, and why they're so secretive.

sdsds · « **Reply #51 on:** 04/18/2011 09:03 pm »

Douglas Messier, Parabolic Arc:

Q: How much hoping/expecting to award for CCDev3 next year?
Q: Are we ever going to see Blue Origin's work? They've been shy...

In PBR FY12, request for 850 million.
For BO, for every milestone we will evaluate and see the results.

Q: The public hasn't seen much of what they've been working on, even though they are receiving public funding.

A: Silence.

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #52 on:** 04/18/2011 09:04 pm »

Good work with the links and important notes of interest (thanks sdsds). Working an article and we'll set up new specific threads for each of the winners on the commercial section

yg1968 · « **Reply #53 on:** 04/18/2011 09:05 pm »

Quote from: Ronsmytheiii on 04/18/2011 09:01 pm

Audio of the announcement, plus a few questions

Thanks, do you have the rest of the press conference?

Lars_J · « **Reply #54 on:** 04/18/2011 09:06 pm »

To be fair (even though I don't like it), SnC with their DreamChaser was in a very similar position until a few months ago. Practically no information was being released until they showed their composite cabin test article. But openness should be encouraged.

simonbp · « **Reply #55 on:** 04/18/2011 09:07 pm »

The only image from the Blue Origin document.

Ronsmytheiii · « **Reply #56 on:** 04/18/2011 09:08 pm »

Quote from: yg1968 on 04/18/2011 09:05 pm

Quote from: Ronsmytheiii on 04/18/2011 09:01 pm
Audio of the announcement, plus a few questions

Thanks, do you have the rest of it?

Negative, I cut is off at that point since the questions seemed to degrade in quality (reporters should do their homework, not rely on live telecon)

Ronsmytheiii · « **Reply #57 on:** 04/18/2011 09:08 pm »

3/4 of those who received funds in CCDEV2 were in CCDEV1, and the only one that wasnt is because it is the farthest along and needs the least amount of work (SpaceX)

Ronsmytheiii · « **Reply #58 on:** 04/18/2011 09:10 pm »

SpaceX seem to be pretty fired up:

Quote

With NASA’s support, SpaceX will be ready to fly first manned mission three years after receiving these funds.

http://twitter.com/#!/SpaceXer

yg1968 · « **Reply #59 on:** 04/18/2011 09:11 pm »

Quote from: Ronsmytheiii on 04/18/2011 09:08 pm

3/4 of those who received funds in CCDEV2 were in CCDEV1, and the only one that wasnt is because it is the farthest along and needs the least amount of work (SpaceX)

There is logic in this continuity. SpaceX had been dismissed in CCDev-1 because they were asking for too much money and the funding for CCDev-1 was limited.