NASA has announced the next chapter in its partnership with private American companies for International Space Station commercial resupply launches.
The agency announced Thursday, Jan. 14, that it has awarded a minimum of six resupply missions to a total of three companies, including Orbital ATK, Sierra Nevada, and SpaceX. This means that among the three companies there will be a total of 18 missions, or more. NASA notes, however, that it has not ordered any of these missions just yet, but has instead only made contracts with the three companies.
According to NASA, having other companies focus on things like ISS resupply allows the agency to focus on exploring deep space, as well as future missions like its planned missions to Mars. The maximum value of all contracts is $14 billion through 2024, but NASA will order missions as needed and the amount paid will depend on which mission types are ordered.
The companies have a number of requirements to meet for these resupply missions, although they also have the freedom to conduct the missions how they want. Orbital ATK and SpaceX had previous contracts with NASA for supply runs.
NASA also noted that the ISS requires at least four resupply missions per year to keep the space station fully stocked. The missions have to be planned carefully to accommodate for things like storage room on the ISS, scientific needs on the station, and so on. Thus far, NASA notes commercial carriers have transported 35,000 pounds of space cargo to the International Space Station.
As far as the initial individual missions go, Orbital ATK offered three missions, including two with pressurized cargo delivery and disposal, and one with unpressurized cargo delivery and disposal. Sierra Nevada offered two missions, both with pressurized cargo return and disposal as well as unpressurized cargo delivery and disposal. One of these missions will dock to the ISS, and the other will berth to the ISS. SpaceX also offered two missions, both with pressurized cargo delivery and return. One of the missions will dock to the ISS and the other will berth to the station.
As mentioned, each company has been awarded six missions at minimum, so announcements for more missions are expected in the future.
Source: NASA
