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CCiCap was announced, SpaceX and Boeing were selected


B787_300

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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:

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 by B787_300
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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 by Reddragon
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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?

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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.

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