NASA to Pick 2 Private Space Taxi Designs for Astronaut Flights - Space.com

NASA Seeks Private Space Taxi Designs for Astronaut Flights

Dan Leone, Space News

Date: 08 February 2012 Time: 10:06 AM ET

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Helping to pave the road for the future of commercial spaceflight, Boeing is hard at work on the research and development of a new space capsule aimed at flying people to the International Space Station. CREDIT: Boeing

WASHINGTON — NASA intends to provide $300 million to $500 million each to at least two companies over 21 months starting in August to complete designs of vehiclescapable of delivering crews to and from the International Space Station.

The selected companies also will be asked to develop plans for certifying their vehicles to carry astronauts, NASA officials said. Contractors also would be responsible for designing optional milestones into their proposals for additional precertification work after the initial 21-month period.

NASA officials said plans to select at least two prospective providers for the third round of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program is contingent upon funding. Lawmakers provided $406 million for the effort in 2012, less than half of what the agency requested.

Ed Mango, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program manager, said the agency hopes an initial crewed demonstration flight to low Earth orbit will take place in the latter half of this decade, with regular commercially operated flights to the International Space Station beginning around 2017. However, the date could slip, depending on funding in future years, he said.