Author Topic: LIVE: Liberty - ATK and NASA announce unfunded SAA for Commercial Crew (Read 79389 times)

Chris Bergin · « **on:** 09/13/2011 05:34 pm »

Live thread for the announcement and presser at KSC.

Previous pre-announcement thread:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=26737.0

Thread will be unlocked shortly before the presser. Will require help with the presser as I'll be writing the article.

----

MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-191

NASA, ATK NEW COMMERCIAL CREW ANNOUNCEMENT ON NASA TV

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The NASA and Alliant Techsystems (ATK)
announcement of an agreement that could accelerate the availability
of U.S. commercial crew transportation capabilities at 3 p.m. EDT on
Tuesday, Sept. 13 will be carried live on NASA Television.

The announcement will occur at the Press Site auditorium at NASA's
Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The 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

Reporters may ask questions in-person from Kennedy or using a phone
bridge managed at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. To use the
phone bridge, journalists must call the Johnson newsroom at
281-483-5111 by 2:45 p.m. EDT.

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

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

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

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

For information about ATK, visit:

http://www.atk.com

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #1 on:** 09/13/2011 06:56 pm »

woods170 · « **Reply #2 on:** 09/13/2011 07:01 pm »

Liberty model on the desk. That confirms it.

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #3 on:** 09/13/2011 07:01 pm »

Starting. They've got a nice model on the right.

Robotbeat · « **Reply #4 on:** 09/13/2011 07:01 pm »

Yup, unfunded SAA for exploring the Liberty design.

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #5 on:** 09/13/2011 07:03 pm »

Mr Mango confirms it's an unfunded SAA.

Think it's an outstanding opportunity on the international element of the design.

woods170 · « **Reply #6 on:** 09/13/2011 07:03 pm »

NASA wanting to explore how Liberty initiative will fit into Commercial Crew Program.

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #7 on:** 09/13/2011 07:04 pm »

Oooh, video of Liberty.

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #8 on:** 09/13/2011 07:04 pm »

Oh, it was a bit of a dull video

woods170 · « **Reply #9 on:** 09/13/2011 07:05 pm »

Kent: Ares I MLP is what we intend to launch Liberty from.

That means LC-39

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #10 on:** 09/13/2011 07:05 pm »

Mr Rominger thinks it's the best launcher, as it can lift more and is safest.

Believes it works best with President Obama's international expansion.

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #11 on:** 09/13/2011 07:06 pm »

Quote from: woods170 on 09/13/2011 07:05 pm

Kent: Ares I MLP is what we intend to launch Liberty from.

That means LC-39

Yep! 39B too. Leaves 39A for SLS 70mt.

woods170 · « **Reply #12 on:** 09/13/2011 07:07 pm »

Rominger: NASA developed SRB, ESA developed Ariane 5. Now two commercial companies will build upon that the Liberty vehicle.

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #13 on:** 09/13/2011 07:08 pm »

Mr Rominger - brings in jobs into Florida. Taking advantage of the current capability.

EADS are also really happy about things too. Again says most capable and safest vehicle.

woods170 · « **Reply #14 on:** 09/13/2011 07:08 pm »

Schumacher: ATK came to Astrium with proposal for Liberty a little under 1 year ago.

woods170 · « **Reply #15 on:** 09/13/2011 07:10 pm »

Schumacher: EADS also brings in experience in operating commercial boosters

gladiator1332 · « **Reply #16 on:** 09/13/2011 07:11 pm »

Will use as much existing infrastructure as possible. Will bring in approx 300 new jobs.

woods170 · « **Reply #17 on:** 09/13/2011 07:11 pm »

Rominger: Upper stage will be shipped in whole from Europe. SRB's train in from Utah. Final assembly in VAB.

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #18 on:** 09/13/2011 07:12 pm »

300 jobs would be created.

Liberty is already human rated.

woods170 · « **Reply #19 on:** 09/13/2011 07:13 pm »

Rominger: Ariane 5 core stage was designed to carry Hermes shuttle. System is 'scarred' with human rating elements. However: not flying with humans today. Does benefit from fact it was designed to fly humans initially.