Author Topic: NASA, ATK Commercial Crew Agreement (Pre-announcement thread) (Read 49812 times)

Chris Bergin · « **on:** 09/09/2011 07:08 pm »

Ho ho! This will be Liberty!

MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-189

NASA, ATK ANNOUNCE NEW COMMERCIAL CREW AGREEMENT

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA and Alliant Techsystems (ATK) managers
will announce an agreement that could accelerate the availability of
U.S. commercial crew transportation capabilities at 3 p.m. EDT on
Tuesday, Sept. 13. The announcement will occur at the Press Site
auditorium at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The event will not be carried live on NASA Television. NASA TV's Video
File segment will air highlights.

The announcement participants are:
-- Ed Mango, Commercial Crew Program manager, NASA
-- Kent Rominger, vice president, Strategy and Business Development,
ATK Aerospace
-- John Schumacher, vice president, Space Programs, EADS North America

Journalists without permanent NASA Kennedy accreditation need to apply
for credentials by 4 p.m., Sept. 12. New international media
accreditation is closed. Badges can be picked up at the Kennedy Space
Center's Badging Office on State Road 405 starting at 10 a.m. on
Sept. 13. Media must apply for credentials online at:

https://media.ksc.nasa.gov

For NASA TV downlink information, Video File schedules and links to
streaming video, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For information about ATK, visit:

http://www.atk.com/

For information on NASA's Commercial Crew Program, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/commercial/

Rocket Science · « **Reply #1 on:** 09/09/2011 07:12 pm »

Hey Ed!
Your rides' here...

Robert

HIP2BSQRE · « **Reply #2 on:** 09/09/2011 07:13 pm »

Who has been drinking the kool aid???

yg1968 · « **Reply #3 on:** 09/09/2011 07:13 pm »

Probably an unfunded SAA for the Liberty Launch Vehicle.

Scia · « **Reply #4 on:** 09/09/2011 07:13 pm »

The domino's continue to fall.

aquanaut99 · « **Reply #5 on:** 09/09/2011 07:13 pm »

I have a bad feeling about this...

Ronsmytheiii · « **Reply #6 on:** 09/09/2011 07:14 pm »

I am guessing an unfunded Space Act agreement, on the lines of the ULA agreement?

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=26059.0

HIP2BSQRE · « **Reply #7 on:** 09/09/2011 07:14 pm »

How will accelerate commerical crew???

PahTo · « **Reply #8 on:** 09/09/2011 07:14 pm »

Wha??? Do I see Liberty taking shape? Those SRBs are pernicious, if nothing else...

DaveJSC · « **Reply #9 on:** 09/09/2011 07:14 pm »

Great move. Helps SLS and also helps us get further out of being stuck with SpaceX, who we REALLY don't want to be stuck with.

renclod · « **Reply #10 on:** 09/09/2011 07:17 pm »

Hear hear !

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #11 on:** 09/09/2011 07:17 pm »

Quote from: PahTo on 09/09/2011 07:14 pm

Wha??? Do I see Liberty taking shape? Those SRBs are pernicious, if nothing else...

100 percent Liberty, given EADS are in on the presser too.

RadarMonkey · « **Reply #12 on:** 09/09/2011 07:17 pm »

Misread the first sentence of the announcement that there was going to be a manned launch next Tuesday!

Silly, RadarMonkey.

sdsds · « **Reply #13 on:** 09/09/2011 07:20 pm »

Quote from: Chris Bergin on 09/09/2011 07:17 pm

100 percent Liberty, given EADS are in on the presser too.

Which leads to a suggestion for journalists who have the opportunity to ask questions. Don't bother asking any of Mango or Rominger; the only really interesting answers will be coming from Schumacher!

PahTo · « **Reply #14 on:** 09/09/2011 07:23 pm »

Chris, any chance of an article/insights before the presser? Obviously this will be a big article post-presser...or so we hope to see one from this great site.

yg1968 · « **Reply #15 on:** 09/09/2011 07:23 pm »

Quote from: DaveJSC on 09/09/2011 07:14 pm

Great move. Helps SLS and also helps us get further out of being stuck with SpaceX, who we REALLY don't want to be stuck with.

Unless a spacecraft provider decides to choose the Liberty as its main LV, the Liberty doesn't have much chances of carrying crew.

Scia · « **Reply #16 on:** 09/09/2011 07:23 pm »

Quote from: DaveJSC on 09/09/2011 07:14 pm

Great move. Helps SLS and also helps us get further out of being stuck with SpaceX, who we REALLY don't want to be stuck with.

Why would we be stuck with SpaceX if the Atlas 5 is being human rated, and Boeing is building their own Crew capsule?

Robotbeat · « **Reply #17 on:** 09/09/2011 07:25 pm »

Quote from: DaveJSC on 09/09/2011 07:14 pm

Great move. Helps SLS and also helps us get further out of being stuck with SpaceX, who we REALLY don't want to be stuck with.

Yeah, being stuck with huge fixed costs is way better.

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #18 on:** 09/09/2011 07:31 pm »

Quote from: PahTo on 09/09/2011 07:23 pm

Chris, any chance of an article/insights before the presser? Obviously this will be a big article post-presser...or so we hope to see one from this great site.

They want to announce it at a set time. Sometimes they will help you, like ULA did with Atlas V/Dreamchaser and allow you to write up the content and then publish at the time of the announcement, but never before.

When you see reports before the announcement, it means someone has broken an embargo, which is poor journalistic practise.

Absolutely will cover it best I can

Space Pete · « **Reply #19 on:** 09/09/2011 08:07 pm »

Great news! In my book, one more crew-rated rocket can't be bad news.