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NASA Picks 5 Firms To Work On LEO Tech

Posted by timothy on from the quasi-private-at-best dept.

Gary W. Longsine writes "Five contracts have been awarded by NASA today, to firms exploring different aspects of the effort to develop a private launch industry for people to low earth orbit. Today's winners include: Sierra Nevada Corp (aka 'SpaceDev') for the Dream Chaser; Boeing in cooperation with Bigelow on a capsule design; United Launch Alliance (Boeing and Lockheed Martin) to explore safety issues related to upgrading Atlas and Delta rockets to human flight safety standards; Blue Origin to build a launch escape system; and Paragon Space Development Corp for 'air vitalization' (aka life support). Will the forecast $6 Billion allocation over five years be enough to inspire private industry to develop not one, but two human rated launch systems (a capsule, and the lifting body Dream Chaser)? NASA clearly wants competition in the private market, so they seek more than one vendor."

6 of 116 comments (clear)

  1. Re:LEO by ElectricTurtle · · Score: 3, Funny

    But what about times where one is talking about police operations in space? How will we get our LEOs into LEO?

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  2. Re:LEO by An+ominous+Cow+art · · Score: 4, Funny

    Talking about space could also mean Astrology. As a Gemini, I find that this Leo favoritism to be very distasteful. :-)

  3. Re:LEO by An+ominous+Cow+art · · Score: 2, Funny

    As a Gemini, I find that this Leo favoritism to be very distasteful.

    Yeah, me talks da gud english...

  4. Peter Pan. I'm captain of the Dream Catcher. by RevWaldo · · Score: 2, Funny

    - Peter Pan. I'm captain of the Dream Catcher. Grumpy Bear here tells me you're lookin' for passage to the Aslan system?
    - Yes indeed, if it's a fast ship.
    - Fast ship? You've never heard of the Dream Catcher?
    - Should I have?
    - It's the ship that made the Emerald City Run in less than twelve cowznofskis. I've outrun Middle Kingdom dragons. Not the local luckdragons mind you, I'm talking about the big Morgoth-bred firedrakes now. She's fast enough for you old wizard.

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    1. Re:Peter Pan. I'm captain of the Dream Catcher. by Chris+Burke · · Score: 2, Funny

      Lol, that was perfect. Except google tells me that a cowznofski is actually a unit of time! Maybe that should have been in twelve potrzebies.

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      The enemies of Democracy are
  5. Blue Origin? by tomhath · · Score: 3, Funny

    Blue Origin: A normally secretive team established by Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos...

    How much does NASA have to send into orbit before they get free shipping?