Has there been any comment from the revelant Congress people regarding SpaceX's recent successful berthing of Dragon at the ISS? I found the crew's comments regarding manned Dragon interesting in light of the current issues with CCDev.
ISTR that LM was prohibited from bidding as a prime in CC due to being prime contractor for Orion.
403(b)(6) [...] If one or more contractors involved with9 development of the multi-purpose crew vehicle seek10 to compete in development of a commercial crew11 service with crew rescue capability, separate legisla12tive authority must be enacted to enable the Admin13istrator to provide funding for any modifications of14 the multi-purpose crew vehicle necessary to fulfill15 the ISS crew rescue function.
The NASA Advisory Council's Commercial Space Committee recently held a meeting (May 1, 2012) to get updates from various NASA Centers on their commercial space activities. [...]
Quote from: AnalogMan on 05/16/2012 11:57 amThe NASA Advisory Council's Commercial Space Committee recently held a meeting (May 1, 2012) to get updates from various NASA Centers on their commercial space activities. [...]Minutes of this meeting have just been posted:http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/658655main_NAC CSC 5 1 12 FACA _FINAL_508.pdfThe section titled Commercial Crew Program Certification Status Briefing on pages 18 - 21 may be of most interest.
Ms. Smith: Assuming there will not be 3 partners in CCiCap, if you down-select from 2 to 1 partner, then what? Mr. Mango: We need competition. The cost for 1 is greater than for 2 or 3. Optional milestones give a better return than expected. Instead of putting in the X, they put in X + Y because they saw that there was potential for the future. Competition yields a better price and a more innovative product. Ms. Smith asked about the criteria for down-selection. Mr. Mango had no specific criteria for that; they have the goals and how many are selected is left to the selection authorities. We know we want more than 1, but we are not committed to a particular number.Ms. Smith raised the issue of having a finite amount of money. Mr. Mango: In CCDev2, awards were given for varying amounts, so they already started to make some conscious decisions about what they could afford. But no algorithm for that has been devised. Mr. Oswald feared they might be sacrificing life-cycle costs. Mr. Mango: That would mean total costs would go up. A restricted budget means we have to look at how we incentivize competition within whatever profile Congress gives us. We are still very much in the proposal evaluation period on CCiCAP.
The section titled Commercial Crew Program Certification Status Briefing on pages 18 - 21 may be of most interest.
A couple of questions of interest from the minutes...
Always wondered about the net effect of early down-select to 1 and subsequent non-compete (e.g., early move from SAA to FAR); "The cost for 1 is greater than for 2 or 3." is going to get some attention. Wish there was a bit more context.
Quote from: AnalogMan on 06/14/2012 10:35 pmThe section titled Commercial Crew Program Certification Status Briefing on pages 18 - 21 may be of most interest.Thanks; very interesting.Quote from: yg1968 on 06/15/2012 02:12 amA couple of questions of interest from the minutes...Always wondered about the net effect of early down-select to 1 and subsequent non-compete (e.g., early move from SAA to FAR); "The cost for 1 is greater than for 2 or 3." is going to get some attention. Wish there was a bit more context.
See this chart which is released at the same time as the 60 day report:http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/639717main_CCDev2_Public_20120417_508.pdf
Quote from: erioladastra on 05/25/2012 04:41 pmQuote from: Ronsmytheiii on 05/24/2012 11:28 pmNot sure if this is the best place to ask, but is there anything legally preventing Lockheed from submitting it's own CCP proposal?Other than the fact that the deadline past, nothing. it is likely they are involved in some of the submitted proposals if not all by themselves.Lockheed Martin is heavily involved in the ATK/Astrium Liberty proposal. The Liberty spacecraft appears, essentially, to be "Orion Lite", outfitted by Lockheed Martin, with final assembly at KSC alongside Orion. - Ed Kyle
Quote from: Ronsmytheiii on 05/24/2012 11:28 pmNot sure if this is the best place to ask, but is there anything legally preventing Lockheed from submitting it's own CCP proposal?Other than the fact that the deadline past, nothing. it is likely they are involved in some of the submitted proposals if not all by themselves.
Not sure if this is the best place to ask, but is there anything legally preventing Lockheed from submitting it's own CCP proposal?
MLAS is not a pusher LAS.
No, I'd say the location of the center of thrust relative to the center of mass determines it. If the center of thrust is is aft of the center of mass, it's a pusher. Otherwise, it's a tractor. Just the same as for any aircraft.
Q: When will CCiCAP selection be announced?Bolden: We fully expect to announce those selected by mid-July or so. That’s our hope. [...]Q: How will CciCap work?Bolden: NASA will fund three companies this summer. Two companies will get full funding and the third company will receive half funding. That will go through 21 months. NASA will then put out a request for contracts to provide services under FAR. Any company will be able to bid on it.NASA would prefer that Congress fully fund the President’s request for commercial crew at $830 million but Congress may come in at less. NASA will ask for significant greater amounts in future years to keep to a 2017 schedule for commercial crew flights.
How many companies selected in CC down select (Bolden said earlier announcement in mid-July)? Two and a half, per recent agreement with Congress. Take them through 21-month process, full funders all the way, half funded as best they could. Following that, an RFP under the FAR under which any company can bid.
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Topic: CCDev to CCiCAP to CCtCAP Discussion Thread (Read 617116 times)
