CCiCap was announced, SpaceX and Boeing were selected

[B787_300 276]

It's happening. We've been waiting for this event for years now, and soon everyone (along with SpaceX, Boeing, & Sierra Nevada) will know who will be flying the first U.S. astronauts from U.S. soil since the Space Shuttle retired in 2011, on-board USCV-1 to the ISS, tentatively scheduled to make its first flight in 2017.

---

Live Updates:

• [4:08 PM 16 September] BOEING AND SPACEX ARE THE WINNERS!
  
• [9:10AM 16 September] Lurio, you must be relieved! Stephen Clark via Twitter: "NASA: "Major announcement today about astronaut transport to the International Space Station." 4pm presser at KSC. Buckle your seat belts."
  
• [12:41AM 16 September]: Andy Pasztor has published another article on the WSJ, titled: "Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos's Startup Is Part of Bid to Deliver Astronauts". Read the full article here.
  
• [9:16 PM EST]: Mr. Lurio to the rescue again... "Latest from elsewhere: WSJ/Pastor item is wrong. Conclusion: We won't know it til we know it, so take stress tab of your choice.". Jeff Foust has also retweeted this.
  
• [9:14 PM EST]: Cnet is regurgitating Wall Street Journal's claims that Boeing is to win one of the spots in an article titled: "Boeing said to win NASA space taxi contract". Everyone should be aware that this is complete speculation. There is no evidence to support any of this information.
  
• [3:31PM]: "Yet another item: Supposedly someone saw a poster just delivered KSC re CCtCap - included SNC/SpaceX, not Boeing. But I advise caution." Link to Tweet.
  
• [3:27PM]: Charles A. Lurio again... "This just in from another re CCtCap: Award tomorrow between 10-11am EDT."
  
• [3:06PM]: Charles A. Lurio on Twitter advising that companies will be informed of CCtCap results tomorrow morning, with public announcements following shortly after!
  

All times are in EST

---

Background

With the Retirement of the Space Shuttle, NASA had to pay the Russians for seats on the Soyuz to ferry Astronauts to the ISS. NASA did not like this and started 2 different competitions to resupply and recrew the station. They are known as CCDev and CCtCap respectively.

CCDev was the easier of the two and 2 companies made designs and won contracts, SpaceX with the Dragon and Orbital Sciences with Cygnus. The original idea was for CCDev to be a stepping stone for CCtCap, but it did not work out.

CCtCap is Commercial Crew. in the beginning there were 5 designs with 4 capsules. They were SpaceX with the Dragon on a Falcon 9, Sierra Nevada Corp with DreamChaser on Atlas 5, Boeing with CST100 on Atlas 5, Blue Origin with New Sheppard on Undecided, and ATK with a CST100 on Liberty (think Aires 1). After the first round money was awarded to Boeing, SpaceX, and Sierra Nevada Corp to continue developing their designs. Boeing got the most money, followed by SpaceX and then SNC. Instead of a lump sum, the awards are parsed out based on milestones. This announcement is the end of the second phase. At this point, NASA has the money for 1.5 Contracts and this announcement is for who gets the big contract to actually carry astronauts to the ISS. Current Speculation is that Boeing has the strongest case because they have completed 100% of their milestones, with SpaceX in second with something like 80%. The main difference is that SpaceX has proven technology that has flown in the last decade, last time a Boeing Capsule flew was the apollo capsule. Tomorrow is the BIG day when the three lean whether or not they will get money to continue building their craft. SpaceX has already said that if they do not get selected they will continue to build the Dragon V2, it will just take longer. AFAIK there has been no announcements from SNC or Boeing on what happens if they do not get selected.

for more info on the designs

CST 100

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CST-100

Dragon

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_V2

DreamChaser

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dream_Chaser

also reddit is a great place for more info and is where I am getting the updates from

https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/comments/2gi43x/rspacex_nasa_cctcap_downselect_official/

Edited September 18, 2014 by B787_300
Updating

[kenbobo 246]

Oh my god.

I hope Sierra Nevada wins!

Edited September 16, 2014 by kenbobo
Infraction suggestion (grammar)

[Reddragon 54]

I can't find anything about it on the NASA twitter or Facebook feeds or any other source. Is it really official?

[B787_300 276]

Red not truly official, but this guy is pretty good about space related stuff, i would bet that he is right

[Reddragon 54]

Well, it was told that the announcement will be in September, so it could be real. For many, including myself, this will be a long night I guess.

[B787_300 276]

but red the announcement isnt until 10-11 AM EST you have plenty of time to sleep

[Skyler4856 74]

I have access to computers during that time....

[TythosEternal 78]

I know what I'll be doing tomorrow morning...

[refresh]

...

[refresh]

...

[refresh]

...

[B787_300 276]

oh i will be doing the same while in one of my AE classes... between launches and KSP my f5 button gets quite a workout

[kenbobo 246]

NO (no)

SLEEP (sleep)

TIL WINNER IS CHOSEN!!! (chosen)

To theme of No Sleep Til' Brooklyn.

[hawkinator 28]

Team SpaceX! Time to jump on the #hypeTrain. Choo Chooooo!

[Aningaaq 20]

Where would one check for this announcement? Any links? Thanks for the news though!

[Reddragon 54]

but red the announcement isnt until 10-11 AM EST you have plenty of time to sleep

I just realized that it's going to be about 17:00 here. Damn afternoon classes. Anyway, I guess they won't make a live stream for it.

Edited September 16, 2014 by Reddragon

[B787_300 276]

Aningaaq, as i find the links ill update the OP and with posts in thread

[kenbobo 246]

17pm. Legit.

[B787_300 276]

• [9:14 PM EST]: Cnet is regurgitating Wall Street Journal's claims that Boeing is to win one of the spots in an article titled: "Boeing said to win NASA space taxi contract". Everyone should be aware that this is complete speculation. There is no evidence to support any of this information.
  

[Reddragon 54]

17pm. Legit.

Ah, sorry. I'll correct it.

Edited September 16, 2014 by Reddragon

[kenbobo 246]

17PM. Do you mean 5PM? or 17:00?

[B787_300 276]

• [9:16 PM EST]: Mr. Lurio to the rescue again... "Latest from elsewhere: WSJ/Pastor item is wrong. Conclusion: We won't know it til we know it, so take stress tab of your choice.". Jeff Foust has also retweeted this.
  

[hawkinator 28]

We should, like place bets (using imaginary internet points instead of real currency, of course), or something. 1000 IIPs on SpaceX for me please... I like SpaceX's plan, personally (mostly due to extreme awesomeness coupled with feasibility) Anyone else have a favorite?

[Brotoro 2,793]

1,000 quatloos on Boeing!

[B787_300 276]

my idea and hope right now is that they have enough money for 1.5 CCtCap Contracts,

1 goes to SpaceX, they are closest to flight

.3 goest to SNC

.2 goes to Boeing

[Reddragon 54]

Kerbodyne is the best! But since it's not on the list, I think it will possibly be Boeing (though I wouldn't like it).

[Kryten 1,431]

my idea and hope right now is that they have enough money for 1.5 CCtCap Contracts,

1 goes to SpaceX, they are closest to flight

.3 goest to SNC

.2 goes to Boeing

That's not how '1.5 contract awards' works.

I'll put in a bet for Boeing and SX. SNC has Kistler 2.0 written all over them.

[B787_300 276]

That's not how '1.5 contract awards' works.

I'll put in a bet for Boeing and SX. SNC has Kistler 2.0 written all over them.

oh i know but i can hope