Companies building space taxis get funding boost from NASA

Boeing CST-100

NASA announced August 3 a further round of funding for three US companies developing astronaut transportation.  

SpaceX, Boeing and Sierra Nevada Corporation have all been awarded new Space Act Agreements under NASA's Commercial Crew Integrated Capability (CCiCap) program that provides each company with additional cash for the development of their spacecraft.

NASA, which has not been able to transport crew to the International Space Station since the retirement of the Space Shuttle last year, is keen to regain human spaceflight capability as soon as possible.

NASA boss Charles Bolden declared: "We have selected three companies that will help keep us on track to end the outsourcing of human spaceflight and create high-paying jobs in Florida and elsewhere across the country."

Sierra Nevada Corporation's Dream Chaser

All three companies awarded new agreements have already been developing their space taxis with the help of NASA's Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) Program.

Space Exploration Technologies - SpaceX - is building a crewed version of its Dragon capsule and under its new CCiCap agreement will benefit from an injection of $440 million from NASA.

Dragon was always conceived as a vehicle that could take crew as well as cargo, and is the only spacecraft in the commercial crew program that has been put into orbit.

Furthermore, it also berthed successfully with the space station on its second orbital flight in May 2012, proving its rendezvous technology. The company plans to have its first manned flight by 2015.

Dragon will be able to carry seven astronauts and, if SpaceX succeeds with its propulsive landing system, will be able to land on its legs rather than in the ocean.

Elon Musk, the founder, CEO and Chief Designer of SpaceX, said: “This is a decisive milestone in human spaceflight and sets an exciting course for the next phase of American space exploration. SpaceX, along with our partners at NASA, will continue to push the boundaries of space technology to develop the safest, most advanced crew vehicle ever flown.”

SpaceX Dragon

Soyuz Progress (47P) M-15M Cargo Ship Fails to Dock with ISS

The Russian Progress M-15M resupply spacecraft, also known by its US designation of 47P, was set to dock to the International Space Station (ISS) for the second time at 9:57 PM EDT Monday night/1:57 AM GMT Tuesday morning, to test a new antenna for the Kurs automated rendezvous and docking system. However, a failure with the system has postponed the test until the 29th (1am UTC).

On July 22, the Progress M-15M cargo ship undocked from the International Space Station in preparation for a test of its new automated docking system, the Kurs-Na. It was supposed to use Kurs-Na to redock on July 23. It failed.

“The test was proceeding normally until about the time that the new Kurs-NA rendezvous system was to be engaged,” NASA officials said in a statement. “As commands were being issued to activate the Kurs system, a failure was annunciated, triggering a passive abort.”

Roscosmos has not announced the cause of the failure. The vessel has been maneuvered into a position that would allow for another attempt on July 29, after the Japanese HTV-3 resupply vessel is manually docked to the station.

Although Progress M-15M originally docked with ISS using the usual Kurs system when it first arrived in April, that system cannot be used this time. On May 9, cosmonaut Gennady Padalka disconnected Kurs in order to bring Kurs-Na online in preparation for this test.

If Roscosmos is unable to successfully dock the vessel using the Kurs-Na system, the vessel has already been prepared to leave the station. All cargo has been removed and its hold loaded with waste to be burned up in the atmosphere as soon as testing is complete.

The Kurs-Na system requires half as many antennae as the current system and is reported to require less power, has updated electronics, and improves safety. Russia may have another opportunity to test the system since Progress M-16M is scheduled to launch on August 1, just a few weeks away.

Progress M-16M is also known as Progress 48, since it is the 48th such resupply vessel to be launched. That vessel will not be relying on the new technology for its primary mission.