Commercial Space Transportation

Commercial Crew:  Commercial crew providers remain confident in schedules Prepare for the inaugural launches of astronauts by Boeing and SpaceX in 2018, representatives of the two companies are declaring in response to a recent U.S. Government Accountability Office audit that cautions the flights could be delayed until 2019. Boeing’s Starliner 100 and SpaceX’s crewed Dragon are in development under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program to restore a U.S. human launch capability lost when NASA’s space shuttle fleet was retired in 2011. Boeing and SpaceX are to transport astronauts to and from the International Space Station. (See also: NASA to provide Commercial Crew backup plan by March 13 in response to GAO)

Boeing Starliner:  Exclusive: Boeing’s space taxis to use more than 600 3-D printed parts  Boeing plans to feature 3-D printing technologies in the production of the company’s CST-100 Starliner, which is in development under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program for the transportation of astronauts to and from the International Space Station. Oxford Performance Materials will be the supplier.

SpaceX Resupply Mission to ISS:  SpaceX makes good on Space Station delivery a little late  After a day’s delay, SpaceX’s tenth Dragon resupply mission spacecraft rendezvoused with the International Space Station early Thursday. European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet and NASA’s Shane Kimbough teamed to capture the capsule with its 5,500 pound cargo using the Station’s Canadian robot arm at 5:44 a.m., EST. The capsule, loaded with science experiments as well as crew supplies, is to remain berthed to the Space Station for about one month.

Citizens for Space Exploration – a pro-space, taxpayer, grassroots advocacy group (http://www.bayareahouston.com/content/c_s_e/c_s_e) – has traveled to Washington, D.C. the past 24 years to meet face-to-face with Members/staff of Congress to discuss the value of America’s investment in space exploration. In order to sustain that dialogue on a regular basis, Citizens distributes “Space Exploration Update” to Congressional offices on a weekly basis. The intent is to provide an easy, quick way to stay abreast of key human space exploration program and policy developments.