posted August 18, 2006 04:46 PM               

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NASA Selects Crew and Cargo Transportation to Orbit Partners

NASA selected SpaceX, El Segundo, Calif. and Rocketplane-Kistler, Oklahoma City, to develop and demonstrate commercial orbital transportation services that could open new markets and pave the way for contracts to launch and deliver crew and cargo to the International Space Station.

NASA and the two companies signed Space Act Agreements that establish milestones and objective criteria to assess their progress throughout Phase 1 of the competition. Once a capability is demonstrated, NASA plans to purchase crew and cargo delivery services competitively in Phase 2.

"NASA is proud to work with SpaceX and Rocketplane-Kistler as they endeavor to take American entrepreneurial spirit to new heights,” said NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate Associate Administrator Scott Horowitz. "When commercial enterprises turn the journey to low-Earth orbit into a profit-making business model, NASA will be free to focus on goals that are more appropriate for government, such as exploration of the moon and Mars."

In Phase 1, the companies will demonstrate a combination of four capabilities: external (unpressurized) cargo delivery and disposal; internal (pressurized) cargo delivery and disposal; internal cargo delivery and return; and an option for crew transportation.

“These companies were selected from a total of 20 applicants, based on solid engineering of innovative concepts and sound business plans,” said Alan Lindenmoyer, manager of the Commercial Crew and Cargo Program Office at the Johnson Space Center, Houston.

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posted August 18, 2006 04:47 PM               

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Rocketplane Kistler (RpK) won a $207 million NASA award to demonstrate its capability to service the International Space Station (ISS). The Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) contract culminates in two flights to the ISS with first launch of RpK’s K-1 launch vehicle in late 2008.

George French, RpK’s CEO and Chairman of the Board said, “We are honored by NASA’s selection, and for the opportunity to demonstrate our capabilities. The International Space Station is already a national and global asset. Commercializing ISS servicing multiplies its usefulness - maintaining a premier research facility, and stimulating space enterprise in Low Earth Orbit.” French went on to state, “We were impressed by the thorough technical and financial due diligence by the Crew and Cargo Transportation Office [at Johnson Space Flight Center]. They scrubbed us and twenty-three other competitors to ensure NASA would gain a viable commercial company that could supply reliable delivery of cargo to space.”

COTS demonstration flights will be conducted under a Space Act Agreement whereby Rocketplane Kistler will raise private funds to supplement NASA funding. RpK is already well along in first round financing, and will proceed with further financing rounds as the program progresses. The demonstration program will be followed by a competition to provide operational services to the ISS.

RpK President Randy Brinkley, former NASA manager for the ISS Program, said, “With Space Shuttle retirement, the commercialization of ISS servicing is a logical step to maintaining the Space Station and achieving NASA’s broader goals. We are committed to providing end-to-end services for NASA and the ISS.”

RpK leads a team that includes Orbital Sciences, ORBITEC, Lockheed Martin, Aerojet, Alenia Spazio, Oceaneering, Draper, Irvin Aerospace, Northrop Grumman, and other world class aerospace firms. RpK will establish a Houston office to support its COTS effort.

Rocketplane Kistler’s K-1 launch system will also provide low cost space access for satellites and research payloads. Coupled with the company’s suborbital XP Spaceplane, RpK is positioned to provide a wide diversity of suborbital and orbital space transportation services. The K-1’s hardware is 75% complete, and is scheduled for first flight in 2008. The XP Spaceplane is 50% complete, and scheduled for first flight in late 2008.

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posted August 18, 2006 04:48 PM               

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The National Space Society congratulates Space Exploration Technologies and Rocketplane Kistler on today's announcement that they had been chosen as the winners of NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program.

"Make no mistake: COTS is crucial to the future of space exploration," said George Whitesides, Executive Director of NSS. "NASA is to be congratulated on making a wise investment in the potential of America's space entrepreneurs. Now, it is up to the winners to show that the COTS investment can pay off with affordable access to space."

The COTS program is budgeted for roughly $500 million through 2010, with the goal of demonstrating commercial space access to the International Space Station.

NSS also recognizes the tremendous work of the COTS competitors who were not selected. These teams have put forward concepts of great potential, and it is the hope of the NSS membership that these competitors find ways to implement their orbital plans.

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posted January 17, 2007 04:14 PM               

by Jeffrey F. Bell
Honolulu HI (SPX) Jan 16, 2007

posted September 10, 2007 04:14 PM               

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NASA has informed Congress it is terminating its Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) agreement with Rocketplane Kistler (RpK) because the company has failed to meet financial milestones.

Aides said that after reviewing the company's performance, the space agency sent RpK formal notification Sept. 7 saying that additional activity under the agreement is "not in the best interest" of NASA.

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posted September 12, 2007 04:47 PM               

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NASA said Sept. 10 that it would hold a competition for $175 million in unspent funds should the U.S. space agency terminate Rocketplane Kistler's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) agreement. The competition would be open to all comers, NASA spokeswoman Melissa Mathews said, including Rocketplane Kistler.

Mathews said the U.S. space agency formally notified RpK Sept. 7 "that the company has failed to perform under its Space Act Agreement" and is in jeopardy of having its COTS agreement terminated. The notice was given in the form of a letter signed by Scott Horowitz, NASA associate administrator for exploration systems. Mathews said the COTS agreement requires NASA to provide such notice at least 30 days in advance of terminating the agreement for "failure to perform," such as missing agreed-upon milestones.

"NASA has not terminated its relationship with RpK and has not finalized a decision whether to do so," she said.

Several firms already have told NASA they would be interested in competing for COTS funding, while Space Exploration Technologies has appealed to the agency to give it RpK's unspent money in order to accelerate development of a crewed capability. Among the firms interested in a new COTS competition are five companies that signed unfunded Space Act Agreements with NASA this year, which entitles the agency to keep them abreast of changing COTS requirements. These companies are Chicago-based PlanetSpace, Reston, Va.-based Transformation Space Corp., Woodland Hills, Calif.-based Constellation Services International; Poway, Calif.-based SpaceDev, and Houston-based Spacehab.

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posted October 19, 2007 01:43 AM               

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NASA to Open New Competition for Space Transportation Seed Money

NASA announced Thursday it will conduct a new competition for funding that remains in NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Project, known as COTS.

The new competition follows NASA's decision to terminate its funded agreement with aerospace firm Rocketplane Kistler of Oklahoma City, which repeatedly failed to meet agreed-upon milestones in its effort to develop and demonstrate commercial transportation capabilities to low Earth orbit. NASA informed Rocketplane Kistler Thursday of its decision in a letter signed by Associate Administrator for Exploration Systems Rick Gilbrech.

"NASA remains fully committed to the COTS Project," said Alan Lindenmoyer, who as manager of the Commercial Crew and Cargo Program Office oversees the COTS Project.

"We'll be releasing a synopsis for the new competition Friday and the full announcement for a new round of industry proposals on Monday."

Companies will have 30 days to respond to Monday's announcement, and NASA intends to enter into one or more new COTS agreements early next year. Companies that are U.S. commercial providers, as defined in the Commercial Space Act, will be eligible.

COTS provides seed money to companies when they reach performance milestones to help them design and develop space transportation capabilities that could pave the way for private cargo deliveries to the International Space Station. Of the $206.8 million NASA agreed to invest in Rocketplane Kistler, the company received a total of $32.1 million. The remaining $174.7 million will be offered to aerospace firms in a new competition.

"A vibrant commercial space industry will help NASA fulfill its promise to support the International Space Station, retire the space shuttle and return humans to the moon," Lindenmoyer said.

In 2006, NASA chose two companies to receive COTS funding: Rocketplane Kistler and Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, of El Segundo, Calif. Both companies signed Space Act Agreements with the agency that detailed mutually agreed-upon financial and technical milestones, as well as a payment schedule based on those requirements.

In late May, Rocketplane Kistler missed the fourth milestone, a second round of private financing, in its COTS agreement. After months of discussions with the company, NASA officially notified Rocketplane Kistler in early September of its failure to perform. The agency decided to terminate the Rocketplane Kistler agreement when, after careful consideration, NASA concluded that further efforts were not in the agency's best interest. NASA followed the process for termination that was spelled out in the Space Act Agreement.

NASA's other funded COTS partner, SpaceX, is current on all of its financial and technical milestones. NASA also has unfunded COTS agreements with five other companies.

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posted February 12, 2008 03:40 PM               

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NASA Announces COTS Phase I Demonstrations Selection

NASA Exploration Systems Mission Directorate managers will host a media teleconference Tuesday, Feb. 19, to announce the names of one or more companies selected to develop and demonstrate commercial orbital transportation services.

Doug Cooke, NASA deputy associate administrator for the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters, and Alan Lindenmoyer, manager of the Commercial Crew and Cargo Program at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, will lead the briefing.

The company or companies selected will enter into funded Space Act agreements with NASA under the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Project, known as COTS. The key objectives of the program are to facilitate U.S. private industry development of reliable, cost effective access to low Earth orbit and to create a market environment in which commercial space transportation services are available to government and private sector customers.

Live audio from the briefing will be available.

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posted February 19, 2008 05:28 PM               

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NASA selected Orbital Sciences Corporation of Dulles, Va., to develop and demonstrate commercial orbital transportation services that could open new markets and pave the way for contracts to launch and deliver crew and cargo to the International Space Station.

NASA and Orbital Sciences signed a funded Space Act Agreement under the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Project, known as COTS. The new partner will receive approximately $170 million in federal funds to supplement its privately-funded efforts.

Through COTS, NASA is facilitating U.S. private industry development of reliable, cost- effective access to low Earth orbit. The intent is to create a market environment in which commercial space transportation services are available to government and private sector customers.

"NASA plans to get out of low Earth orbit and focus on going back to the moon to prepare explorers for a future voyage to Mars," said Rick Gilbrech, associate administrator for NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate, Washington. "Being able to buy safe, reliable and economical service to low Earth orbit will help us achieve our national goals."

The selection of Orbital Sciences brings to seven the number of partners in which NASA is investing through COTS. NASA selected SpaceX of El Segundo, Calif., as a partner in August 2006. NASA is partnering with an additional five companies through unfunded agreements.

NASA is providing approximately $500 million to stimulate the commercial space transportation market and help develop safe, reliable and cost-effective access to and from low Earth orbit.

"Our investment in the space transportation industry holds just as much promise for the future as government's investment in the railroads and airlines produced in the past," said Alan Lindenmoyer, manager of the Commercial Crew and Cargo Program Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston. "Like any wise investor would, we chose a transportation provider whose innovative concept is based on solid engineering and a sound business plan."

The Space Act Agreement establishes milestones and objective criteria to assess the company's progress throughout Phase 1 of the COTS Project. Partners with funded agreements receive payment for achieving agreed-upon milestones.

In Phase 1, companies will demonstrate one or more of four capabilities: external, unpressurized cargo delivery and disposal; internal, pressurized cargo delivery and disposal; internal, pressurized cargo delivery and return; and an option for crew transportation. NASA plans to purchase cargo resupply services competitively in Phase 2.

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