NASA Commercial Crew selections


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Hearing rumbles from multiple sources that NASA will announce very soon which spacecraft they will fly; SpaceX Dragon V2, SNC Dream Chaser or Boeing CST-100. One report says they will pick 2 spacecraft with full funding for each,

Charles A. Lurio @TheLurioReport

NASA Comm. Crew CCtCap award likely on 22 or 29 Aug.: allows finalization of contracts before likely Contin. Res. (CR) for next FY at 1 Oct.

Charles A. Lurio @TheLurioReport

Also: CCtCap probably two "full" awards, no "half;" depending on $ avail., options to extend now/new active phases under consideration.

Keeping ears to the ground....
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Charles A. Lurio @TheLurioReport

Likelier to put _cautious_ bet on SNC in CCtCap than whether SpaceX or Boeing wins other contract. Dream Chaser a 'fan favorite' at NASA/ULA

Charles A. Lurio @TheLurioReport

Conflicting reports tonight - CCtCap announcement on 22 August or slip to September for Congress notification requirements./I ask:or other?

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Never been all that impressed with Dream Chaser.  Seems like it limits what we can do in space.  What is going into to choosing a craft?  Does it just have to dock with the ISS or they hoping they can do more with it?

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There are numerous criteria, ranging from cargo capacity and safety to the business case - NASA wants a spacecraft with commercial viability so they aren't the only ones paying to keep it flying. The criteria are scored from red (bad) to green (good).

Commercial uses can range from flying missions for companies like crews & cargo to Bigelow Aerospace commercial space stations to flying missions for other countries or the US military.

In the last business case evaluation Dragon V2 was green and both CST-100 and Dream Chaser yellow.

Since then SNC's Dream Chaser is being looked at by both ESA and JAXA (Japan) to fly missions for them. DC is also relatively inexpensive to build and operate. This offsets the cost of its primary Atlas V HR launcher.

Boeing's CST-100is having trouble making the business case because of both design choices that drove up costs, one being an expensive Apollo-like disposable service module and another the high cost of it's primary Atlas V HR launcher.

Dream Chasers main advantages over the capsules are It has a very low G re-entry at just 1.5 G, a wide cross-range (can land 1,500 km to either side of its orbital track - basically any major airport) and its propellants are "green," nitrous oxide and propane. The low-G entry would be useful for medevac and sensitive experiments.

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With the way Boeing has been repeatedly saying there is no business case for them without NASA... how the hell is their business case evaluation orange and not red :S

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They've retreated a bit, saying they may continue by joining the COTS2 cargo competition if not selected.

The problem with that is their small hatch opening and lack of an pressurized cargo bay like Dragon's trunk. Adding the latter would have to be a service module extension, and that would cover the circular solar panel at the bottom of the service module.

ISTM by having that disposable service module instead of integrating it like DV2 & DC they've painted themselves into a corner.

We'll see.

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Owwww.... HARSH!! :ninja:

Charles A. Lurio @TheLurioReport

CCtCap: Boeing CST-100 called 'simpler' - but a "powerpoint tiger?:" SpaceX way ahead on design and test of real hardware for Dragon V2.

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Maybe they should fund the cst-100 since both the dragon and the dream chaser seem like they will get funded by other means. So then they end up with 3 instead of 2.

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Just so we all know what happens after the coming CCtCap (commercial crew transportation capability) downselect,

>

Beginning in summer of 2014, when awards are anticipated for one or more contractors, CCtCap efforts will be focused on developing, verifying and validating an integrated system that is safe for crew transportation. A CCtCap contractor also will plan, manage and execute long-term production and operational plans for its crew transportation system (CTS).

>

>

The certification portion of CCtCap will include a contractor completing at least one crewed flight test to the International Space Station. NASA plans to award at least two and up to six additional post-certification missions during the CCtCap period of performance prior to a follow-on space station services contract.

>

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  • 2 weeks later...

Sounds like NASA is waiting for Congress to pass the continuing budget resolution before flying home to campaign for the November elections.

No doubt they'll wait for everyone to be at 30,000 feet to announce the winners so Shelby etc. can't do anything stupid.

That vote is set for Thursday.

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Continuing Budget Resolution vote was delayed so Congress could add 'War on IS' funding.

Now Charles Lurio is reporting:

@TheLurioReport

New CCtCap story: Companies will be told results tomorrow morning, public announcements likely to follow shortly after.

@TheLurioReport

Yet another item: Supposedly someone saw a poster just delivered KSC re CCtCap - included SNC/SpaceX, not Boeing. But I advise caution.

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WOOT!!

@TheLurioReport

@SpaceKSCBlog @NASAKennedy Tho all are 'rumors' the core is from multiple sources.

@TheLurioReport

This just in from another re CCtCap: Award tomorrow between 10-11am EDT.

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http://www.nasa.gov/press/2014/september/nasa-to-make-major-announcement-today-about-astronaut-transport-to-the/#.VBg6QPldVc4

September 16, 2014

MEDIA ADVISORY M14-158

NASA to Make Major Announcement Today About Astronaut Transport to the International Space Station

NASA will make a major announcement today at 4 p.m. EDT regarding the return of human spaceflight launches to the United States. The agency will make the announcement during a news conference from NASA?s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The event will be broadcast live on NASA Television and the agency's website.

A brief question-and-answer session with reporters on site will take place during the event. Media will be able to ask more detailed questions related to the program in a teleconference shortly afterward.

News conference participants at Kennedy are:

- NASA Administrator Charles Bolden

- Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana

- Commercial Crew Program Manager Kathy Lueders

- Astronaut and former ISS Expedition crew member Mike Fincke

Media should arrive at Kennedy?s Press Site by 3:30 p.m. for transportation to the event. Accreditation for international media is closed for this event. U.S. media must apply for credentials by noon.

Two forms of government-issued identification are required to receive a badge; one form must have a photograph, such as a driver?s license or passport. Badges will be available for pickup at the Press Accreditation Office on State Road 3, Merritt Island, from 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. Media badges will be valid for access to Kennedy?s Press Site through Gate 2 on State Road 3 and through Gate 3 on State Road 405, east of the Kennedy Space

Center Visitor Complex. Journalists needing accreditation should apply online at:

https://media.ksc.nasa.gov

To participate in the teleconference with Kathy Lueders at approximately 4:45 p.m. following the announcement on NASA TV, reporters must email their name, media affiliation and telephone number to Rachel Kraft at rachel.h.kraft@nasa.gov or call 202-358-1100 by 3:30 p.m. ET.

The teleconference will be streamed live on NASA?s website at:

http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio

For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to the 4 p.m. streaming video of the announcement, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv

For continuous coverage of the announcement and NASA's Commercial Crew Program throughout the development, visit:

http://Blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

For more information about NASA's Commercial Crew Program and CCtCap, visit

http://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

-end-

Stephanie Schierholz

Headquarters, Washington

202-358-1100

stephanie.schierholz@nasa.gov

Stephanie Martin

Kennedy Space Center, Fla.

321-867-2468

stephanie.a.martin@nasa.gov

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The WSJ story, writ by a guy who is frequently wrong, and the stories that it spawned are incorrect.

Boeing may get more money in this round, but that's because they have more to do with a higher cost package because of Atlas V (which could force a change to Falcon 9 as the primary.)

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