Task Force Doubts COTS Firms' Timelines for Station Resupply

摘要

A former senior NASA official told a House panel July 24 he has little confidence the U.S. private sector will be ready in time to meet the international space station's logistics needs during the gap between the space shuttle's retirement in 2010 and the fielding of its successor.rnAt least six U.S. firms are vying to sell space station resupply services to NASA starting around 2010. NASA is giving two of those companies — Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX)rnand Rocketplane Kistler — a combined $5(30 million in financial assistance under the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program to develop and demonstrate their rival resupply systems. The other four firms are getting technical advice from NASA, but no cash.