Two Space Foundation Corporate Members are NASA Choice for Space "Taxis"

The Boeing Company and SpaceX, both Space Foundation Corporate Members, have been selected by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to build commercial crew transportation systems for low Earth orbit.

The Space Foundation called NASA’s decision “an important step forward in restoring human space flight capabilities to the United States.”

“By continuing to pursue a path of Orion and Space Launch System (SLS) for deep space missions and commercial crew for low Earth orbit missions, NASA is assuring that the United States can return to meaningful human space flight programs in the post-shuttle world,” said Space Foundation Chief Executive Officer Elliot Pulham. “This dual path forward is critical to maintaining U.S. engagement with, and leadership in, commercial, federal and international human space flight programs. NASA and all the contractors who have participated in these programs are to be congratulated for the investment, discipline, foresight, leadership and innovation that they have brought to this challenge.”

The Space Foundation publishes the annual reference book, The Space Report: The Authoritative Guide to Global Space Activity. The 2014 version includes a section on commercial human spaceflight and a chart that details NASA commercial crew funding for 2010 – 2014 for Blue Origin, The Boeing Company, Paragon Space Development, Sierra Nevada Corporation, SpaceX and United Launch Alliance. For information about The Space Report 2014 visit www.TheSpaceReport.org.

This article is part of Space Watch: October 2014 (Volume: 13, Issue: 10).