NASA revises procurement strategy for commercial crew program
Posted: Fri, Dec 16, 2011, 7:38 AM ET (1238 GMT)
Citing uncertain budgets, NASA announced Thursday it was switching from a fixed-price contract back to Space Act Agreements (SAAs) for the next phase of its commercial crew development program. NASA had planned to issue an RFP next week for the "Integrated Design Phase" of the program, designed to mature several potential vehicles to the critical design review level of development. However, NASA officials said a "dynamic budget environment", including uncertainty about how much money the program will get in future years, led it to go back to the more flexible SAAs used in the first two phases of the effort. A formal request for proposals for this program will go out in early 2012. The overall commercial crew program seeks to support the commercial development of spacecraft to transport astronauts to and from the ISS, as well as for other commercial applications. The program received less than half of the requested funding for 2012, and as a result NASA officials say they don't expect vehicles to be ready to enter service until 2017.
Citing uncertain budgets, NASA announced Thursday it was switching from a fixed-price contract back to Space Act Agreements (SAAs) for the next phase of its commercial crew development program. NASA had planned to issue an RFP next week for the "Integrated Design Phase" of the program, designed to mature several potential vehicles to the critical design review level of development. However, NASA officials said a "dynamic budget environment", including uncertainty about how much money the program will get in future years, led it to go back to the more flexible SAAs used in the first two phases of the effort. A formal request for proposals for this program will go out in early 2012. The overall commercial crew program seeks to support the commercial development of spacecraft to transport astronauts to and from the ISS, as well as for other commercial applications. The program received less than half of the requested funding for 2012, and as a result NASA officials say they don't expect vehicles to be ready to enter service until 2017.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Friday, April 10
Amazon Leo to Launch 'Mid-2026,' CEO Hints at Lower Price Than Starlink
PC Magazine — 6:24 am ET (1024 GMT) Amazon’s Starlink competitor Leo gets a new date
The Verge — 6:23 am ET (1023 GMT) Space Force Picks 14 Firms to Compete to Build Reconnaissance Satellites
Air and Space Forces Magazine — 6:22 am ET (1022 GMT) Oxygen made from Moon dust for first time
The Daily Telegraph — 6:19 am ET (1019 GMT) This founder helped build SpaceX’s most powerful rocket engine. Now he’s building a ‘fighter jet for orbit.’
TechCrunch — 6:19 am ET (1019 GMT) |
