COTS Finalists Move Both Openly, Quietly in Competition

摘要

While NASA's shuttle fleet races retirement and a gap before a new spaceship debuts, the stage is set for private firms hoping to offer commercial cargo and crew services to the international space station (ISS). Six contenders — from a field of more than 20 hopefuls — have weathered NASA's round of culling for the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) effort, with the first awards slated to be announced in August, according to some competitors. NASA plans to spend about $500 million on the COTS effort over the next five years, the agency has said.