CCDev: $50 million for CREW/cargo, maybe COTS-D too

[docm]

I only know of one company even close to doing this in time for the gap....and I read a post at NSF (here - reply #68) that Sen. Shelby removed his 'hold' and that COTS-D will get ~$90 million.

If true the total extra for commercial crew/cargo will run about $140 million, or about $10 million short of the full COTS-D amount though now in two separate programs.

Cosmic Log story....

Spaceships get a (smaller) boost

Posted: Wednesday, August 05, 2009 8:50 PM by Alan Boyle

NASA plans to award $50 million in stimulus funds in November to support private-sector development of new spaceships capable of carrying crew members to the international space station. Details about the program, known as Commercial Crew Development or CCDev, came out on Tuesday via the Commercial Spaceflight Federation.

CCDev follows up on the $500 million Commercial Orbital Transportation System program, or COTS, which backs the development of cargo-carrying capability by private-sector spacecraft. California-based SpaceX and Virginia-based Orbital Sciences Corp. are currently benefiting from that program and have been awarded $3.5 billion in contracts for space station deliveries.
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http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/eps/s ... qid=136839

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Description

The following information is preliminary and subject to change.

NASA’s Commercial Crew and Cargo Program is applying Recovery Act funds to stimulate efforts within the private sector to develop and demonstrate human spaceflight capabilities. These efforts are intended to foster entrepreneurial activity leading to job growth in engineering, analysis, design, and research, and to economic growth as capabilities for new markets are created. By developing commercial crew service providers, NASA may be able to reduce the gap in U.S. human spaceflight capability. All ARRA funded activities must comply with its provisions and will conclude no later than September 30, 2010.

The program intends to solicit proposals from all interested U.S. industry participants to mature the design and development of commercial crew spaceflight concepts and associated enabling technologies and capabilities. NASA plans to use its Space Act authority to invest up to $50 million dollars in multiple competitively awarded, funded agreements. This activity is referred to as Commercial Crew Development, or CCDev.

An Announcement soliciting proposals for Space Act Agreements (SAAs) is currently planned to be released on or about August 10, 2009, with proposals due approximately 45 days later. The award of SAAs is planned for November 2009.

NASA does not intend to issue a draft of the Announcement but does plan to conduct a pre-proposal conference at JSC on August 13th , at the Gilruth Center’s Ball Room, at 10:00 am, to discuss the solicitation and answer questions.

NASA will only consider proposals from U.S. commercial providers as defined by the Commercial Space Act of 1998.

The Commercial Crew and Cargo program also manages NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) partnership agreements with U.S. industry to help develop safe, reliable and cost-effective systems to carry cargo and eventually crew to low-Earth orbit and the International Space Station. Additional background information on NASA’s Commercial Crew and Cargo Program and COTS may be found at:

http://www.nasa.gov/offices/c3po/home/ .
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[Boris_Badenov]

While this looks like good news, show me the money. I want to see this actually awarded in time to get Dragon man rated in 2010.

 

[rhapsodyinspace2]

That would be Sweet Boris!

 

[ZenMasterSauce]

While this looks like good news, show me the money. I want to see this actually awarded in time to get Dragon man rated in 2010.

Dragon gets man rated, there will no longer be an issue with the GAP because we will have our vehicle to get us from point a to point be, including some significant cargo capabilities while we are re establishing our newly built work horses. SpaceX would benefit from that action greatly along with many others. They could even have a direct program to handle NASA space activities in that time frame alone. NASA should never have to wait to get something done in that time period with all that is going on.

 

[neutrino78x]

This is good news, this is a big part of what NASA should be doing imho.

--Brian

 

[access]

So I was checking the CCdev website and there's a list of interested companies thought you might be interested.
the companies are marked as prime or subprime here's a list of the prime contractors:

SpaceX
Boeing
Retro aerospace
Paragon Space development
Andrews space
Formation inc.
Sierra nevada corp.
Orbital sciences

 

[Boris_Badenov]

Here's the complete list of interested parties.
Companies Expressing Interest As of September 4, 2009

 

[docm]

So I was checking the CCdev website and there's a list of interested companies thought you might be interested.
the companies are marked as prime or subprime here's a list of the prime contractors:

SpaceX: of course!
Boeing: along with Bigelow (see my other thread)
Retro aerospace: they were a minor player in COTS round 1 website....
Paragon Space development: thermal radiators and suits for Orion website....
Andrews space: also working with Bigelow and Aerojet on the Bigelow habs
Formation inc.: hardware and software for areospace, defense and transportation companies website....
Sierra nevada corp: SpaceDev's new owner
Orbital sciences of course, again

Boris: one of the ones that stuck out on your list is Ad Astra - VASIMR.

 

[access]

As far as i'm concerned CCdev is a bit disappointing because SpaceX will offer a three year turn around on an investment where everyone else will only be able to offer at best 4 or 5 years to completion and that would be optimistic. So Space X is going to be a shoo in.

 

[docm]

This report is interesting.....

SpaceX Lays Out Process for Dragon Crew Capability (Source: SpaceX)

Though it will initially be used to transport cargo, the Dragon spacecraft was designed from the beginning to transport crew. Almost all the necessary launch vehicle and spacecraft systems employed in the cargo version of Dragon will also be employed in the crew version of Dragon. As such, Dragon's first cargo missions will provide valuable flight data that will be used in preparation for future crewed flight. This allows for a very aggressive development timeline—-approximately three years from the time funding is provided to go from cargo to crew.

The three year timeframe is driven by development of the launch escape system. This includes 18 months to complete development and qualification of the escape engine, in parallel with structures design, guidance, navigation & control, and supporting subsystems. Another 12 months will be required to perform various pad and flight abort tests, which are slated to take place at Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Under this timeline, the first crew launch would take place 30 months from the receipt of funding, leaving six months of schedule margin to allow for the unexpected. (9/24)

 

[access]

See Spacex is just too good.

 

[mr_mark]

The whole "which are slated" statement above interests me. Why would it be put that way? Maybe behind the scenes Spacex already has been promised funding for COTS-D and been given a green light. It's the same thing with Ares 1. Why approve Ares I-X if you have no intention of continuing the program? Unless it's already been decided to continue the program as is behind closed doors? Really, if NASA just intended to use the 5 segment SRB in other rocket variants, all they would need is the data from the 5 segment full duration burn that was just done in Utah and not a 4 segment dedicated design. Also if the Airforce did not authorize the Ares I-X flight, an override would have to come from someplace higher up. Possibly from the vice president"s office who is in charge of overseeing NASA. Ah..... politics. :?: :?

 

[docm]

NASA has said they'd go ahead with Ares I-X just because they could get data that might be useful down the road.

As for SpaceX: I had the same gut feeling you did.