Space Launch System - Orion
Discussion
The opening for commercial resupply to the ISS started with the COTS (Commercial Orbital Transportation Services) program which was announced by NASA in January 2006, while Bush was president. SpaceX and a company called Rocketplane Kistler (RpK) were given development contracts that same year. RpK never went anywhere and that contract was cancelled. They were replaced by another company called Orbital Sciences Corporation* in 2008. Both SpaceX and Orbital were given resupply contract in December 2008, the month before Obama took office.
It made total sense for the Obama administration & NASA to continue the process when they took over and expand it to the Commercial Crew Program. Hopefully Boeing will get their act together and they'll be taking crew to and fro from next year too.
[* Through merger, Orbital later became known as Orbital ATK, which was bought out by Northrop Grumman in 2018 and is now known as Northrop Grumman Space Systems. Their Cygnus spacecraft still does supply runs to the ISS and they were recently awarded a contract to supply the eventual Lunar Gateway as well.]
It made total sense for the Obama administration & NASA to continue the process when they took over and expand it to the Commercial Crew Program. Hopefully Boeing will get their act together and they'll be taking crew to and fro from next year too.
[* Through merger, Orbital later became known as Orbital ATK, which was bought out by Northrop Grumman in 2018 and is now known as Northrop Grumman Space Systems. Their Cygnus spacecraft still does supply runs to the ISS and they were recently awarded a contract to supply the eventual Lunar Gateway as well.]
Commercial corporations have been an integral part of the US space programme since before there was a space programme. NASA has never built a rocket or spacecraft ever. The difference with the Commercial Crew Programme is that the design of the spacecraft was left to the individual companies rather than have NASA set out the exact requirements.
NASA then reviewed and selected from the various designs offered.
The seeds for what became the Commercial Crew Programme may pre-date Obama - but the programme was formally launched in 2011, three years into his Presidential term..
NASA then reviewed and selected from the various designs offered.
The seeds for what became the Commercial Crew Programme may pre-date Obama - but the programme was formally launched in 2011, three years into his Presidential term..
Lockheed Martin are buying Aerojet Rocketdyne (who make the SLS RS-25 engines) for $5 billion.
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/12...
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/12...
NASA Completes Design Review of the SLS Exploration Upper Stage
https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/desig...
https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/desig...
Beati Dogu said:
Rocketdyne has changed hands a few times since they were set up as separate division of North American back in 1955.
Funnily enough they were owned by Boeing from 1996–2005, when they were sold off to Pratt & Whitney for a few years.
And Boeing and Pratt and Whitney were both once subsidiaries of a group known as The United Aircraft Corporation which also owned (no surprise here) United Airlines.Funnily enough they were owned by Boeing from 1996–2005, when they were sold off to Pratt & Whitney for a few years.
Tonight !
"NASA is targeting a two-hour test window that opens at 5 p.m. EST Saturday, Jan. 16, for the hot fire test of the SLS rocket core stage at NASA Stennis. Live coverage will begin at 4:20 p.m. "
https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/2021/01/15/green-ru...
"NASA is targeting a two-hour test window that opens at 5 p.m. EST Saturday, Jan. 16, for the hot fire test of the SLS rocket core stage at NASA Stennis. Live coverage will begin at 4:20 p.m. "
https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/2021/01/15/green-ru...
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