commercial

NASA’s commercial spacesuit program hit a major problem

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Enlarge / NASA astronaut Christina Koch (right) poses for a portrait with fellow Expedition 61 flight engineer Jessica Meir, who sits in an American spacesuit for a fit check. NASA Almost exactly two years ago, as it prepared for the next generation of human spaceflight, NASA chose a pair of private companies to design and … Read more

NASA orders ten Mars Sample Return studies, most of which are commercial

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Enlarge / An artist’s concept of a Mars Ascent Vehicle orbiting the red planet. NASA announced Friday that it will award contracts to seven companies, including SpaceX and Blue Origin, to study how to more cheaply transport rock samples from Mars back to Earth. The space agency in April put out a call for industry … Read more

Europe is trying to emulate NASA’s revolutionary commercial cargo program

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Enlarge / A rendering of the European cargo return vehicle proposed by Thales Alenia Space. Thales Alecia Space The European Space Agency has awarded initial contracts to a Germany-based startup and one of the continent’s established aerospace companies to develop spacecraft that can carry cargo to and from space stations in low Earth orbit. ESA … Read more

ESA signs contracts for return of cargo in commercial space

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ISS seen from Space Shuttle Atlantis following undocking

Science and exploration 22/05/2024 2539 views 11 holds ESA has signed two contracts with European industry to develop a commercial service capable of transporting cargo to and from the International Space Station in low Earth orbit by 2030. The selected companies will be asked to demonstrate their cargo service to the International Space Station ideally … Read more

ESA selects Thales Alenia Space and The Exploration Company for the commercial cargo programme

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WASHINGTON – The European Space Agency has selected one of the continent’s largest space companies and one of its best-funded startups for study contracts that could lead to commercial cargo and crew vehicles. ESA announced on May 22 that it has awarded contracts worth around 25 million euros ($27 million) each to Thales Alenia Space … Read more