Candrea Thomas
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
candrea.k.thomas@nasa.gov
Trent J. Perrotto
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-0321
trent.j.perrotto@nasa.gov
RELEASE: 12-320
NASA REQUESTS PROPOSALS FOR INITIAL CONTRACTS TO CERTIFY COMMERCIAL CREW TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS
WASHINGTON -- NASA on Wednesday released a request for proposals for
the first of two contract phases to certify commercially developed
space systems in support of crewed missions to the International
Space Station. Through these certification products contracts, NASA's
Commercial Crew Program (CCP) will ensure commercial missions are
held to the agency's safety requirements and standards for human
space transportation system missions to the space station.
NASA's request for proposals outlines a two-phase approach in which
the first phase awards will be made to multiple companies. The
companies will provide data related to the development of their Crew
Transportation System (CTS) design, including a spacecraft, launch
vehicle, ground and mission operations and recovery. NASA plans to
award up to $10 million to each company in early 2013 for the first
phase.
The first phase will last about 15 months, during which companies will
outline their strategies to meet the agency's required standards and
safety requirements before a CTS could be approved to fly NASA
astronauts to the space station.
"We're looking forward to a strong U.S. industry response for this
certification phase," said Ed Mango, NASA's CCP manager. "This is a
major step in certifying transportation systems that can meet
America's goal of transporting our astronauts to and from the space
station."
At the conclusion of the first phase, the agency anticipates more than
one company will be ready to compete for the second certification
phase contract. The second phase will be open to any company with
systems at the design maturity level of Phase 1. The second phase
will include development, testing, evaluation and certification
activities enabling NASA to assess and approve the CTS capability for
performing space station missions in compliance with NASA
requirements.
The objective of CCP is to facilitate the development of a U.S.
commercial crew space transportation capability with the goal of
achieving safe, reliable and cost-effective access to and from the
space station and low Earth orbit. After the capability is matured
and expected to be available to the government and other customers,
NASA could contract to purchase commercial services to meet its
station crew transportation needs.
While NASA works with U.S. industry partners to develop commercial
spaceflight capabilities to low Earth orbit, the agency also is
developing the Orion spacecraft and the Space Launch System (SLS), a
crew capsule and heavy-lift rocket to provide an entirely new
capability for human exploration. Designed to be flexible for
launching spacecraft for crew and cargo missions, SLS and Orion will
expand human presence beyond low Earth orbit and enable new missions
of exploration across the solar system.
For more information about NASA's Commercial Crew Program, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew
