CSF PRESS RELEASE
Enabling the development of commercial crew and cargo transportation to the International Space Station is the central recommendation of a
policy paper submitted by members of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation to the Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee, also known as the Augustine Committee.
“In less than 18 months, when the space shuttle is planned for retirement, the United States will become solely dependent on Russia to send our astronauts to the Space Station,” said Bretton Alexander, President of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation. “By leveraging the private
sector, America can maximize our utilization of the Space Station and ensure that NASA has more resources available for robust exploration of the Moon and beyond.”
Titled “Commercial Spaceflight in Low Earth Orbit is the Key to Affordable and Sustainable Exploration Beyond,” the <A HREF=”http://www.commercialspaceflight.org/pressreleases/Commercial Spaceflight Augustine White Paper – 6-29-09.pdf”>policy paper</A> makes the following major points:
- The key to full utilization of the Space Station and sustainable exploration beyond low Earth orbit (LEO) is to turn LEO over to the private sector, thereby allowing NASA to focus its resources and expertise on exploration of the Moon and beyond.
- By making a series of careful, targeted investments, NASA can affordably and quickly enable the development of commercial spaceflight capabilities for both people and cargo to the International Space Station.
- To do so, NASA should create a Commercial Crew Program based on NASA’s existing Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program for cargo to the Station.
- To maximize benefits to NASA and the taxpayer, NASA should fund multiple fixed price, milestone-based Space Act Agreements for development of commercial crew capabilities, leveraging capital from the private sector.
- Regardless of the exploration architecture chosen, government and commercial spaceflight are not a “zero-sum game” – they are complementary, not competitive.
The white paper was delivered to the Augustine Committee on behalf of the following member companies of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation:
Armadillo Aerospace – Caddo Mills, Texas
Blue Origin – Kent, Washington
Masten Space Systems – Mojave, California
Mojave Air and Space Port – Mojave, California
NASTAR Center – Southampton, Pennsylvania
Oklahoma Spaceport – Burns Flat, Oklahoma
Orbital Outfitters – North Hollywood, California
Scaled Composites – Mojave, California
Sierra Nevada Corporation S- parks, Nevada
Space Adventures – Vienna, Virginia
Space Florida Kennedy Space Center – Florida
Spaceport America – Upham, New Mexico
SpaceX – Hawthorne, California
Virgin Galactic – Mojave, California & Upham, New Mexico
X PRIZE Foundation – Santa Monica, California
About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation
The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. Commercial Spaceflight Federation member organizations include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, and spaceports. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation is governed by a board of directors, composed of the member companies’ CEO-level officers and entrepreneurs.
For more information please contact Executive Director John Gedmark at 202.349.1121 or visit www.commercialspaceflight.org.
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No mention of the space shuttle, I am sorry but do not really understand why the shuttle can’t be kept fully operational. Is it actually totally worn out or is it just that funding for necessary upgrades and renovations cannot be found within the stringent NASA budgets ?
Do the commercial spaceflight groups have any interest in keeping the shuttle flying, could the needed investments be provided by partnership between government agencies and private enterprise at both national and international levels.
It seems very wrong to retire a unique and immensely useful space vehicle because the collaborative financing structure that could not only keep the shuttle running but also fully utilize the demonstrated abilities is unavailable.