CCDev 2 Reactions! We Got Reactions Here!

Lots of reactions and comments flowing in from around the country on NASA’s CCDev 2 awards of $270 million to Blue Origin, Boeing, Sierra Nevada Corporation and SpaceX. Here are the initial ones. I’ll add the rest when they come in (or in Blue Origin’s case, this might be all there is….).

SpaceX Tweets

SpaceXer SpaceX

> With NASA’s support, SpaceX will be ready to fly first manned mission three years after receiving these funds.

> Dragon scheduled to fly >11 times before the 1st Dragon crew flight. SpaceX system will mature before most other systems can b developed.

> Engines for awesome new launch abort system could be used on next generation Dragon for on-target propulsive landing #CCDev2.

Boeing

A Boeing CST-100 crew module docks at a Bigelow Aerospace space station. (Credit: Boeing)

“We are combining lessons learned and best practices from commercial airplanes, satellites and launch systems with those from human spaceflight programs such as the space shuttle and the International Space Station to design, deliver and fly the CST-100 in 2015,” said John Elbon, vice president and program manager, Boeing Commercial Crew Programs.

Under the initial CCDev Space Act Agreement of 2010, Boeing successfully completed several risk reduction demonstrations and a System Definition Review (SDR) in October, with only $18 million in government investment. The SDR defined the CST-100 spacecraft’s system characteristics and configuration and established a baseline design. Among the many accomplishments Boeing achieved during this first phase of the CCDev program were the design, build and testing of a pressurized structure of the crew module and an avionics systems integration facility to support rapid prototyping and full-scale development.

“Boeing’s CCDev performance to date is an example of how the company’s innovative and experienced team is successfully partnering with NASA in a commercial environment,” Elbon said.

Sierra Nevada Corporation

SNC Dream Chaser Pressure Shell. (Credit: Sierra Nevada Corporation)

Sierra Nevada Corporation’s (SNC) Space Systems Group announces that it has won an award under the NASA Commercial Crew Development Program (CCDev2) to advance the development of SNC’s Dream Chaser™ Orbital Space Transportation System. The 14 month contract is valued at $80 million and will begin in April 2011. The goal of CCDev2 program is to accelerate the availability of U.S. commercial crew transportation capabilities and reduce the gap in American human spaceflight capability. Once developed, crew transportation capabilities could become available to NASA as well as commercial and government customers.

Mark N. Sirangelo, head of SNC Space Systems Group commented, “SNC, as the owner and prime contractor for the Dream Chaser program, is very pleased to have won one of the largest awards from NASA. This award will allow us to continue to develop the Dream Chaser Orbital Space System and will allow us to become one of the companies positioned to provide commercial orbital transportation. We want to thank NASA for showing the confidence in us and for all its efforts to maintain the vital Commercial Crew Development program as part of its plan for the future of Space. There are so many people who have engaged with our program over the last 6 years that it will be impossible to recognize all of them. We have received great backing from everyone within our organization, from all our terrific external CCDev teaming partner companies, from the NASA personnel assigned to our efforts and throughout the NASA centers and from our federal, state and local government representatives.”

Blue Origin

Blue Origin Composite Crew Pressure Vessel

Or not…

Commercial Spaceflight Federation

“Today is a landmark day for commercial spaceflight. This is a big step towards opening up the space frontier,” said John Gedmark, Executive Director of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation. “Leveraging private investment is the only way NASA can make its dollars go farther in these times of belt tightening. And by investing in commercial spaceflight rather than continuing to sending billions of dollars to Russia, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program is creating American jobs instead of sending them abroad.”

“Today’s announcement marks a critical milestone on the path to a commercial human spaceflight sector that will lower the cost of space access and open new markets,” said Eric Anderson, Chairman of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation. “To have a large and diverse group of U.S. companies among today’s winners, including both established contractors and newer entrants, emphasizes that American industry is ready to handle the task of commercial human spaceflight—safely, affordably, and rapidly. We expect immediate job creation across the United States, including in Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Virginia, and Washington state.”

Anderson added, “A major advantage of commercial spaceflight programs over traditional NASA procurements is that the CCDev program is commercially structured so that NASA pays only when performance milestones are met. These agreements are fixed-price, milestone-based, and leverage private investment. These companies are investing their own money alongside NASA’s money adding even more investment in the final system. Each taxpayer dollar goes farther.”