CCiCap Archives - Universe Today

Buster the Dummy Strapped in for Mile High SpaceX Dragon Flight Test

2 May , 2015 by Ken Kremer

SpaceX and NASA are just days away from a crucial test of a crew capsule escape system that will save astronauts lives in the unlikely event of a launch failure with the Falcon 9 rocket. Buster the Dummy is already strapped into his seat aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon test vehicle for what is called […]

SpaceX Prepares for Crucial Crew Dragon Capsule Pad Abort Test

5 Feb , 2015 by Ken Kremer

SpaceX is preparing for the first of two critical abort tests for the firm’s next generation human rated Dragon V2 capsule as soon as March. The purpose of the pair of abort tests is to demonstrate a crew escape capability to save the astronauts’ lives in case of a rocket failure, starting from the launch […]

NASA Orders Restart to Commercial Space Taxi Work

10 Oct , 2014 by Ken Kremer

Declaring that the future survival of the International Space Station (ISS) was “jeopardized,” NASA issued a statement late Thursday, Oct. 9, ordering Boeing and SpaceX to restart work to develop commercial crew vehicles under the Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) contracts awarded to each firm on Sept. 16. NASA took this action despite a protest […]

Boeing and SpaceX Win NASA’s ‘Space Taxi’ Contracts for Space Station Flights

17 Sep , 2014 by Ken Kremer

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL – NASA Administrator Charles Bolden announced that Boeing and SpaceX have won the high stakes and history making NASA competition to build the first ever private ‘space taxis’ to launch American astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) and restore America’s capability to launch our crews from American soil for the […]

Boeing Completes All CST-100 Commercial Crew CCiCAP Milestones on Time and on Budget for NASA – Ahead of Competitors

26 Aug , 2014 by Ken Kremer

In the ‘new race to space’ to restore our capability to launch Americans to orbit from American soil with an American-built commercial ‘space taxi’ as rapidly and efficiently as possible, Boeing has moved to the front of the pack with their CST-100 spaceship by completing all their assigned NASA milestones on time and on budget […]

Risk Reduction Milestone Tests Move Commercial Dream Chaser Closer to Critical Design Review and First Flight

23 Jul , 2014 by Ken Kremer

The winged Dream Chaser mini-shuttle under development by Sierra Nevada Corp. (SNC) has successfully completed a series of risk reduction milestone tests on key flight hardware systems thereby moving the private reusable spacecraft closer to its critical design review (CDR) and first flight under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program aimed at restoring America’s indigenous human spaceflight […]

Why Commercial Crew is Critical for Future Exploration: One-on-One Interview with NASA Administrator Charles Bolden

30 May , 2014 by Ken Kremer

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden discusses future of NASA human spaceflight during exploration forum at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC. Credit: Ken Kremer- kenkremer.com Story updated[/caption] NASA GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, MD – Why is NASA’s Commercial Crew Program to develop private human transport ships to low Earth orbit important? That’s the question I posed to NASA […]

Private Dream Chaser Crewed Mini-Shuttle Design Advances through Rigorous Wind Tunnel Tests

22 May , 2014 by Ken Kremer

The private Dream Chaser mini-shuttle being developed by Sierra Nevada Corp. (SNC) has successfully completed a series of rigorous wind tunnel tests on scale models of the spacecraft – thereby accomplishing another key development milestone under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program to restore America’s human spaceflight access to low Earth orbit. Engineers from SNC and NASA’s […]

Sierra Nevada Dream Chaser Gets Wings and Tail, Starts Ground Testing

13 Jul , 2013 by Ken Kremer

Sierra Nevada Corporation’s Dream Chaser successfully rolls through two tow tests at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center in California in preparation for future flight testing later this year. Watch way cool Dream Chaser assembly video below![/caption] Sierra Nevada Corporation’s winged Dream Chaser engineering test article is moving forward with a series of ground tests at […]

NASA Announces Winners in Commercial Crew Funding; Which Company Will Get to Space First?

3 Aug , 2012 by Nancy Atkinson

[/caption] NASA announced today the winners of the third round of commercial crew development funding, called the Commercial Crew Integrated Capability (CCiCap). This will ultimately allow commercial space companies to be able to provide commercial human spaceflight services for both NASA and other commercial customers. The winners are SpaceX ($440 million), Boeing ($460 million) and […]

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