NASA Blows Lockheed Martin and Boeing Co.
NASA awarded a USD 3.5 billion in contracts to beginner companies in order to transport cargo to the International Space Station ,post the retirement of US space shuttles. This was a big blow for the giants Lockheed Martin and Boeing as their rejection was least anticipated.
By the beginning of 2010 A.D, Space Exploration Technologies (SPACE-X) , headed by the Paypal founder Elon Musk and Dullas , and Orbital Sciences Corporation, originating from Virginia ,will be seen transporting cargo shipments to and from the International Space Station.
The mammoth spacial outpost worth USD 100 billion being assembled together through stages involves the United States , Canada , Japan , Russia and European Nations working together.
NASA replaced the Russian Progress cargo carriers with carriers from commercial contractors in order to deliver required supplies to the space station.
After the retirement of the Soyuz shuttles in 2010 , Russia will deploy them for transporting astronauts to the Space station and back. Such would be required to do as shuttle replacements will be met only by 2015.
According to Bill Gerstenmaier 40 to 70 % of the cargo will be carried by the carriers provided by the commercial contractors.
Planet Space ,based in Chicago, a consortium which accommodates companies Lockheed Martin Corporation , Boeing and Alliant Techsysytems Inc. was blown over by Space-X and Orbital Sciences. The contract for Orbital stands at USD 1.9 billion for eight flights and for Space-X at USD 1.6 billion for twelve flights.
NASA had already granted contracts to Space-X and Orbital Sciences worth a combined USD 500 million prior to the billion-dollar awards. Space-X has even announced its plans for setting up a complex alike Cape Canavarel Air Force Station beside the Kennedy Space Centre,Florida.
Whereas Orbit shall be flying from the NASA Wallops Island base in Virginia.
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