Competition to Build the Space Shuttle's Successor

Neil Halelamien writes "The competition for the prime contract to build the Crew Exploration Vehicle, the successor to the Space Shuttle, is ramping up. Currently, 11 different companies are creating preliminary designs for systems and vehicles which could be useful in implementing NASA's Vision for Space Exploration. By the end of the year, NASA will select two teams to independently develop and build a CEV design. The two teams will launch competing unmanned prototypes in 2008, at which point NASA will award a final winning contract. Aerospace giants Boeing and Northrop Grumman have formed one team. Another "all-star" team, announced a couple of days ago, is headed by Lockheed Martin. A third team in the running is underdog t/Space, a company with a free enterprise approach to space exploration, which includes notable figures from the commercial spaceflight arena, such as Burt Rutan and Gary Hudson. There is concern that a NASA budget boost to help pay for the exploration program could draw some opposition, as most other government programs are anticipating budget cuts."

Re:Enough with the links already...

[Anonymous Coward]

Hello Citizen. We apologize for causing you confusion. Please click on The Link [marxists.org] and do not worry yourself with choices.

Re:Enough with the links already...

[Anonymous Coward]

It's about time someone told me what to do - I almost had to think for myself.

Re:Common sense prevails at last!

[LiquidCoooled]

The NASP is still in pre-production, and will be ready soon.
Right now, if you purchase a flying car, you get a voucher for a ticket on one of them, and also a preview beta version of Duke Nukem as well :)

Monkeys and dogs will not be used for testing.

[Fitzroy_Doll]

It's been reported that monkeys and dogs have declined to test this round of space vehicles, seeing as there is no ice cream in space.

My Idea for the shuttle replacement

[Sophrosyne]

It should look state of the art with straight-lines, a red stripe down the side... Here are some preliminary designs for NASA:
Image Here [starfleet-museum.org]
Now if we could only get Majel Barrett to do the voice-over for the computer :(

Re:Common sense prevails at last!

[Fred_A]

Actually, work is underway on a design that makes do without engines alltogether. This reduces cost dramatically since the payload is now mostly the crew.

You can see images of preliminary crew training here [extremedreams.co.uk].

Von Braun

[meringuoid]

In the United States, he is regarded as a hero of the space program.

You, too, could be a big hero, once you've learned to count backwards to zero...

Re:My Idea for the shuttle replacement

[Meester Nice Guy]

Where's Zefram Cochrane when you need him? Steppenwolf - Magic Carpet Ride it was his favorite ...

Re:Well well well

[jav1231]

"Pulls another?" You, Sir, are at best stupid. The fact that we hadn't had such a disaster up until that point, given the number of missions run, is quite a feat! Let me spell it out for you: WE'RE TAKING TONS OF STEEL, METAL, PLASTIC, AND OTHER MATERIALS, STRAPPING IT TO A HIGHLY EXPLOSIVE CAPSULE, FILLING IT WITH HUMANS AND SHOOTING IT INTO SPACE! Get it? SHOOTING IT INTO SPACE! ...INTO SPACE!...not over to Japan, not from New York to L.A.....INTO SPACE! And we've done this at least A HUNDRED TIMES! ......A HUNDRED! ....INTO SPACE! This isn't you on your skate board doing rim-spins in an empty swimming pool. This is LAUNCHING HUMANS INTO SPACE! Now go rest and be glad heartbeats and breathing are involuntary impulses.