LIVE: CCiCAP Commercial Crew Awards Announcements - August 3, 2012

[Chris Bergin]

CST-100 - Late CY 2016 test flight (crew demo). Same as above on the caviats.

[yg1968]

SpaceX would launch from LC-40. Boeing and SNC from LC-41.

[yg1968]

Boeing late 2016 crewed test flight.

Assuming optimal funding.

[yg1968]

SNC won't get to CDR with the base period funding but will retire some very important risks.

[psloss]

Presentation: http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/672130main_CCiCap%20Announcement.pdf

Still in front of the Q&A, most of the information being briefed is in these slides.

[Rocket Science]

SNC integrated systems and hazard analysis and flight test data. Safety and update their certification plan (not NASA's).

[Rocket Science]

SpaceX is unique since it’s a modified cargo vehicle…

[Rocket Science]

Boeing has the most milesones... System is very mature...

[baldusi]

I get the ISS on the web's NASA TV. I'm looking at Del Potro-Federer, anyways, but I'm wondering what's the url.

[arachnitect]

I get the ISS on the web's NASA TV. I'm looking at Del Potro-Federer, anyways, but I'm wondering what's the url.

I'm here:

http://www.nasa.gov/news/media/newsaudio/index.html

[Rocket Science]

Question: Why was ATK not selected? Gerst, other three were stronger, will provide details later...

[docmordrid]

SpaceX video: look Ma! No parachutes!

[strangequark]

SpaceX:

NASA SELECTS SPACEX TO RETURN AMERICANS TO SPACE

(Hawthorne, CA) – Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) today won a $440 million contract with NASA to develop the successor to the Space Shuttle and transport American astronauts into space.

SNC:

SIERRA NEVADA CORPORATION'S DREAM CHASER SPACE SYSTEM
AWARDED MAJOR NASA ORBITAL TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT CONTRACT
 
SPARKS, Nev., – Aug., 3, 2012 – Eren Ozmen, President of Sierra Nevada Corporation  (SNC),  is pleased to announce that  the company's Dream Chaser® Space System has been awarded $212.5 million as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Integrated Capability (CCiCap) Program.   The 21 month contract will begin in August of 2012.
 
<snip>
 
We  are very pleased to have been awarded this amount of funding as part of  NASA's ongoing effort to create a commercial human transportation system to low Earth orbit. This  award will allow our Program to continue to make great strides in the development of the Dream Chaser  Space System.

I love the contrast.

[Rocket Science]

Funding needs are based on their development plan…

[Rocket Science]

Need more money for FY2014...

[Rocket Science]

Money spent by each company is proprietary…

[Rocket Science]

Gerst: All will not get to CDR and one will retire technical risk for go ahead… (SNC).

[Space Pete]

SpaceX:

NASA SELECTS SPACEX TO RETURN AMERICANS TO SPACE

SNC:

SIERRA NEVADA CORPORATION'S DREAM CHASER SPACE SYSTEM AWARDED MAJOR NASA ORBITAL TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT CONTRACT

I love the contrast.

Heh, well, SpaceX are taking a bit of "license with the truth" there, since they haven't really been selected to return Americans to space, since A) Americans already go into space via Soyuz, SpaceX would merely return indigenous launch capability, and B) They won't really be selected to do that unless they win the contract phase in the next round.

[Rocket Science]

Amount of award does not relate to rank ordering… Funding is based on technical value...

[Rocket Science]

Gerst: Still open to unfunded SAA’s…

2017 still the plan with Russia.