A brief look at developments in commercial space in 2010 with a look ahead, primarily focused on developments in the United States related to the so-called “New Space” sector.
SPACEX
Milestones
- Two Falcon 9 launches, two successes
- One Dragon floating down gently in the Pacific
- Submitted CCDEV 2 proposal
Coming Up in 2011
- Test flights to ISS
- Possible CCDEV contract award
VIRGIN GALACTIC
Milestones
- First SpaceShipTwo glide tests
- Spaceport America runway dedication
- Participation in two NASA CCDEV 2 bids
- Will Whitehorn retires, George Whitesides takes over
Coming Up in 2011
- Powered SpaceShipTwo test flight into suborbital space
- Possible CCDEV 2 contract awards
XCOR
Milestones
- Finalized Lynx design with wind tunnel tests
- Concluded spaceport deal with Curacao in Dutch Antilles
- Raised sufficient funding to move forward with Lynx
- Began Lynx assembly
Coming Up in 2011
- Lynx test flights
ARMADILLO AEROSPACE
Milestones
- Suborbital human space tourism agreement with Space Adventures
- Awarded NASA CRuSR contract
Coming Up in 2011
- CRuSR test flights
- Continued vehicle development
MASTEN SPACE SYSTEMS
Milestones
- Awarded NASA CRuSR contract
Coming Up in 2011
- CRuSR test flights
- Continued vehicle development
BLUE ORIGIN
Milestones
- Awarded CCDEV 1 contract
- Continued vehicle development
Coming Up in 2011
- Continued vehicle development and testing
- Possible CCDEV 2 award
ORBITAL SCIENCES CORPORATION
Milestones
- Delivery of Taurus II first stage from Ukraine
- Successful testing firings of AJ-26 engines for Taurus II
- Continued development of Cygnus freighter
- Submission of CCDEV 2 proposal
Coming Up in 2011
- First Taurus II test flight
- Possible CCDEV 2 award
- Robert Bigelow (right) stands before a model of his private space station. (Photo: Douglas Messier)
BIGELOW AEROSPACE
Milestones
- Partnership with Boeing on CST-100 crew transport
- MOUs with six countries to lease space stations
Coming Up in 2011
- Possible boost from CCDEV 2 awards
- Continued construction of vehicle production facilities
- Continued vehicle development
- A Boeing CST-100 crew module docks at a Bigelow Aerospace space station. (Credit: Boeing)
BOEING
Milestones
- CCDEV 1 award for CST-100 crew transport
- Partnership with Bigelow Aerospace on space station project
- Submission of CCDEV 2 proposal
Coming Up in 2011
- Possible CCDEV 2 award
- Continued vehicle development
SIERRA NEVADA CORPORATION
Milestones
- CCDEV 1 award
- CCDEV 2 proposal submission
- Development of Dream Chaser crew transport
- Tests of Dream Chaser engines
Coming Up in 2011
- Possible CCDEV 2 award
- Continued vehicle development
UNITED LAUNCH ALLIANCE
Milestones
- CCDEV 1 contract
- CCDEV 2 proposal submission
- Atlas V becomes baseline for three CCDEV 2 crew transport proposals by Sierra Nevada, Boeing and Orbital Sciences
- Delta IV under consideration to support future human missions
- Alabama Congressional delegation realizes ULA has a production facility in Decatur
Coming Up in 2011
- Possible CCDEV 2 award
- Continued vehicle development
NASA
Milestones
- Congressional approval to cancel Constellation, pursue CCDEV program fully
- Awarded CCDEV 1 contracts to five companies
- Accepted CCDEV 2 proposals
- Awarded lunar data agreements
- Awarded CRuSR program contracts to Armadillo Aerospace and Masten Space Systems
- Issued commercial crew certification standards
- Hired its first Chief Technology Officer, Bobby Braun
Coming Up in 2011
- Budget authority for commercial programs
- COTS flights by SpaceX and Orbital Sciences Corporation
- CRuSR flights by Armadillo Aerospace and Masten Space Systems
- CCDEV 2 awards (March)
- Space shuttle program ends
Terminal Hangar Facility at Spaceport America. NEW MEXICO SPACEPORT AUTHORITY
Milestones
- Development of Spaceport America
- Spaceport America runway dedication
- FAA Center of Excellence for Commercial Space Transportation established (NMSU)
Coming Up in 2011
- Spaceport America completion
- SpaceShipTwo flights by Virgin Galactic