Washington, D.C. – The Commercial Spaceflight Federation is pleased to announce that Andrews Space, Inc., DCI Services and Consulting, MEI Technologies, Special Aerospace Services, and SRA International have joined the Federation as Associate Members. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation now includes over 30 leading aerospace companies.

Bretton Alexander, President of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, stated, “It is very exciting to have these innovative companies joining the Commercial Spaceflight Federation. Each of them is contributing unique skills and assets to our industry, and each additional company better enables us to accomplish our mission of promoting the growth of the commercial space industry.”

The new associate members of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation made the following statements:

• Jason Andrews, CEO of Andrews Space, Inc. stated, “Andrews strongly supports the CSF’s efforts to promote and develop a robust commercial space industry within the US focused on developing and sustaining critical existing and emerging markets.” (Headquartered in Seattle, Andrews Space, Inc. was founded in 1999 to be a catalyst in the commercialization and development of space, and is an affordable integrator of aerospace systems and developer of advanced space technologies.)

• Chad Brinkley, President of DCI Services and Consulting, stated, “DCI is excited to work with like-minded entities to provide safe and cost-effective space transportation products and services to satisfy our customers’ needs.” (Based in Houston, Texas, DCI Services and Consulting is a systems engineering and integration company focused in the aerospace and defense market.)

• Jim Baker, Director, Commercial Sector, at MEI Technologies stated, “As the commercial spaceflight industry grows, we see our involvement in CSF to not only be a way of providing the critical skills necessary to support our nation’s leadership in space but also to be a part of inspiring the next generation scientists, engineers, and explorers who will maintain that leadership. As such, MEI Technologies is proud to join with our industry colleagues and CSF in advancing commercial spaceflight.” (Headquartered in Houston and founded in 1992 as Muñiz Engineering, MEI Technologies employs more than 800 individuals that serve more than 60 clients in the civil, commercial and defense industries.)

• Heather Bulk, President and CEO of Special Aerospace Services, stated, “We are truly proud to be a member of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation with its strong vision and leadership by the members. SAS looks forward to continuing our journey with those who live by our motto…’who dreams wins!’ ” (Headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, Special Aerospace Services provides experienced program support in the areas of launch vehicles, spacecraft systems, space system engineering, human rating, and space safety.)

• Brian Buckley, SRA International’s Space Systems Group Lead, stated, “Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is the perfect forum for SRA International to introduce our award-winning Spacecraft Command Language (SCL) product line for flight and ground systems. SCL has contributed to the success of many NASA and DoD missions and we look forward to sharing our software development capabilities and experience in mission critical systems with the CSF.” (Founded in 1978 and headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, SRA International provides the expert knowledge, technical tools and solutions that governments, agencies and companies need to improve performance, reduce costs and risks, introduce enterprise efficiencies and enhance human health.)

About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation
The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever-higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation’s member companies, which include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, spaceports, suppliers, and service providers, are creating thousands of high-tech jobs nationwide, working to preserve American leadership in aerospace through technology innovation, and inspiring young people to pursue careers in science and engineering. For more information please visit www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Executive Director John Gedmark at john@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.349.1121.

About Andrews Space, Inc.
Headquartered in Seattle, Andrews Space, Inc. was founded to be a catalyst in the commercialization and development of space. Andrews Space has been developing innovative space and aerospace systems for NASA, the Department of Defense, and commercial customers since the company’s inception in 1999. Andrews Space has been involved in initiatives including commercial crew and cargo, operationally responsive spacelift, NASA exploration, and hypersonic platforms. For more information please visit http://www.andrews-space.com.

About DCI Services and Consulting
Headquartered in Houston, TX, near the Johnson Space Center, DCI Services and Consulting is an engineering consulting firm focused on aerospace and systems engineering, technical management, and strategic business development. DCI is currently providing services to participants in NASA’s Commercial Crew Development Program and is engaged on topics such as safety standards for commercial spaceflight, commercial business models and procurement, and Space Station utilization. For more information please visit http://www.dci-sc.com.

About MEI Technologies
MEI Technologies, Inc. provides technical solutions to the commercial and federal technology markets. Founded in 1992 as Muñiz Engineering, the company employs more than 800 individuals that serve more than 60 clients in the civil, commercial and defense industries. Headquartered in Houston, the company operates satellite offices in seven additional states: Colorado (Denver and Colorado Springs), New Mexico (Albuquerque and White Sands Test Facility); Alabama (Huntsville), Maryland (Greenbelt), Georgia (Marietta), Mississippi (Stennis Space Center), and California (San Jose and Los Angeles). For more information please visit http://www.meitechinc.com.

About Special Aerospace Services
Headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, Special Aerospace Services is a small, woman-owned, innovative aerospace services and solutions company. Special Aerospace Services (SAS) provides experienced program support in the areas of launch vehicles, spacecraft systems, space system engineering, human rating and SpaceFlight Safety (TM). SAS supports U.S. and International customers, including NASA’s CCDev and COTS Programs, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, and commercial launch service providers. For more information please visit http://www.specialaerospaceservices.com.

About SRA International
Founded in 1978 and headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, SRA provides the expert knowledge, technical tools and solutions that governments, agencies and companies need to improve performance, reduce costs and risks, introduce enterprise efficiencies and enhance human health. For complex space-based programs, SRA’s Intelligence & Space Sector delivers products and services at every phase – from mission concept through spacecraft retirement. For more information please visit http://www.sra.com.

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Washington, D.C. – The Commercial Spaceflight Federation is pleased to announce that Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne has joined the Federation as an Associate Member. With 3,100 employees across Florida, California, Alabama, and Mississippi, including more than 1,800 employees in Southern California, the company is a leading provider of propulsion and power systems for space flight.

James G. Maser, President of Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, stated, “Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne is excited to be a part of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation. Joining the Commercial Spaceflight Federation will enable us to better collaborate with industry to serve both NASA’s new technology and exploration programs and the expanding commercial space market.”

Maser continued, “We believe our proven expertise in rocket engine development, human-rating requirements and propulsion system verification will help contribute to the growth of commercial spaceflight. Since our beginnings in the late 1940s, our company has been at the forefront of the commercial spaceflight industry with a number of private engine developments for commercial launch vehicles, and we are excited to participate in the further growth of this vital sector.”

Maser added, “Clearly, we support the continuation of the U.S. human spaceflight program, as well as fostering a safe, more cost-effective and commercial approach for crew to Low Earth Orbit. Participation with CSF demonstrates our determination to maintain the country’s aerospace technology base with proven commercial capabilities to transport crew to Low Earth Orbit while NASA moves on a course for exploration missions beyond Low Earth Orbit. We are especially pleased to see NASA’s desire to make new investments in liquid propulsion and fundamental propulsion research.”

Mark Sirangelo, Chairman of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, commented, “On behalf of the member companies of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, we are proud to welcome Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne.  Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne is respected throughout the industry for its high-performance propulsion systems and the company will be a strong asset to the Commercial Spaceflight Federation.  We’re excited to have them onboard.”

Bretton Alexander, President of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, added, “It’s very gratifying to see the aerospace industry continue to unite behind a common goal of expanding the commercial space economy.  The payoff will be thousands of new high-tech jobs, enhanced access to space for civil, military, and commercial customers, and exciting a new generation of young people to embark on science and technology careers.  We are pleased to welcome the entire Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne team.”

About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation

The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever-higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation’s member companies, which include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, spaceports, suppliers, and service providers, are creating thousands of high-tech jobs nationwide, working to preserve American leadership in aerospace through technology innovation, and inspiring young people to pursue careers in science and engineering.  For more information please visit www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Executive Director John Gedmark at john@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202-349-1121.

About Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, a part of Pratt & Whitney, is a preferred provider of high-value propulsion, power, energy and innovative system solutions used in a wide variety of government and commercial applications, including the main engines for the space shuttle, Atlas and Delta launch vehicles, missile defense systems and advanced hypersonic engines. For more information on Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, please visit www.prattwhitneyrocketdyne.com or contact Bryan Kidder at 818-586-2213.

Washington, D.C. – The Commercial Spaceflight Federation welcomes President Obama’s new National Space Policy, which underscores the importance of commercial spaceflight for American economic growth and leadership in space.

Bretton Alexander, President of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, stated, “The National Space Policy reinforces the President’s new plan for NASA, particularly the use of commercial providers for transport of crew and cargo to the International Space Station. The National Space Policy recognizes the benefits of a robust commercial space industry and lays down a series of clear policies to enable further growth of this sector.”

Alexander added, “Importantly, the National Space Policy document states that government space systems will only be developed if there is no suitable commercial system that “is or will be available” [emphasis added], a strong declaration that the government will support and not compete with emerging commercial space services.”

The importance of promoting commercial spaceflight is heavily emphasized throughout the National Space Policy document, establishing as a guiding principle that “a robust and competitive commercial space sector is vital to continued progress in space.” The policy further states that the U.S. government will “promote a robust domestic commercial space industry, […] refrain from conducting United States Government space activities that preclude, discourage, or compete with U.S. commercial space activities, [… and] pursue potential opportunities for transferring routine, operational space functions to the commercial space sector where beneficial and cost-effective,” among other pro-commercial actions.

About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation
The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever-higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation’s member companies, which include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, spaceports, suppliers, and service providers, are creating thousands of high-tech jobs nationwide, working to preserve American leadership in aerospace through technology innovation, and inspiring young people to pursue careers in science and engineering. For more information please visit www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Executive Director John Gedmark at john@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.349.1121.

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Washington, D.C. – The Commercial Spaceflight Federation is pleased to announce that United Launch Alliance of Denver, Colorado has joined the Federation as an Executive Member. United Launch Alliance operates the Atlas V, Delta II, and Delta IV launch vehicles.

Michael C. Gass, President and CEO of United Launch Alliance, stated, “United Launch Alliance has close business relationships with many members of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, including Bigelow Aerospace, Sierra Nevada Corporation, Space Florida, and XCOR Aerospace. Additionally, ULA is a funded participant in NASA’s Commercial Crew Development Program. So joining the Commercial Spaceflight Federation is a natural fit for us, and we are proud to do so.”

Gass added, “United Launch Alliance is excited to offer our proven Atlas V and Delta IV launch vehicles to potential commercial crew providers, many of whom are members of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation. We look forward to the day when astronauts are flying to low Earth orbit onboard commercial vehicles such as Atlas and Delta. And the track record of success for Atlas V and Delta IV shows that commercial spaceflight can and will be conducted safely.”

Mark Sirangelo, Chairman of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, commented, “It is a pleasure to welcome United Launch Alliance to the fast growing membership of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation. ULA is innovative and entrepreneurially minded and we are proud to work with ULA to achieve our common goals. We look forward to a productive partnership with CEO Michael Gass and his entire team.”

Bretton Alexander, President of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, added, “With the addition of United Launch Alliance and its nearly 4,000 employees to the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, the Federation now includes America’s most experienced launch services providers. United Launch Alliance and its heritage companies have been trusted by the U.S. government to deliver the Nation’s most-critical national security payloads to orbit for more than 50 years. The proven Atlas and Delta launch systems have an important role to play in providing commercial crew transportation for NASA and other customers.”

Alexander concluded, “With the addition of both United Launch Alliance and Bigelow Aerospace this month, the Federation is even more strongly dedicated to our shared goal of a robust space economy, creating jobs here on Earth and new opportunities in space.”

About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation
The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever-higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation’s member companies, which include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, spaceports, suppliers, and service providers, are creating thousands of high-tech jobs nationwide, working to preserve American leadership in aerospace through technology innovation, and inspiring young people to pursue careers in science and engineering. For more information please visit www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Executive Director John Gedmark at john@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.349.1121.

About United Launch Alliance
Formed in December 2006, United Launch Alliance (ULA) is a 50-50 joint venture owned by Lockheed Martin and The Boeing Company. ULA brings together two of the launch industry’s most experienced and successful teams – Atlas and Delta – that have supported America’s presence in space for fifty years. The United Launch Alliance team consists of approximately 3,900 employees working at sites across the country. ULA program management, engineering, test and mission support functions are headquartered in Denver, Colorado. Manufacturing, assembly and integration operations are located at Decatur, Ala., Denver, CO., Harlingen, TX., and San Diego, CA. Launch operations are located at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL, and at Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA. For more information please visit www.ulalaunch.com.

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Washington, D.C. – The Commercial Spaceflight Federation, the association of companies working to make commercial human spaceflight a reality, to preserve American leadership in aerospace through technology innovation, and to inspire young people to pursue careers in science and engineering, strongly endorsed President Obama’s space vision today. The President’s plan increases NASA’s budget by $6 billion over 5 years and includes new investments in exploration to Mars and other destinations, new technologies, and commercial spaceflight. The President stated, “I am 100 percent committed to the mission of NASA and its future,” and added, “We will work with a growing array of private companies competing to make getting to space easier and more affordable.”

Please see below statements from members of the space community:

· Mark Sirangelo, Chairman of Sierra Nevada Corporation Space Systems and Chair of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation: “The President’s plan will create thousands of new jobs starting almost immediately, and the commercial space industry is eager to do our part to hire the experienced workers in Florida and elsewhere who are being transitioned from the retiring Space Shuttle. And in the years to come, the President’s plan will create new industries and markets that will generate even more jobs at an accelerating rate, just like the historical growth of early aviation or the Internet.”

· Eric Anderson, CEO of Space Adventures: “This visionary plan is a master stroke. It’s exactly what NASA needs in order to continue to lead the world in space exploration in the 21st century.”

· Frank DiBello, CEO of Space Florida: “The future of space travel, along with the investment, innovation and jobs that go with it, lies in the innovations of the commercial sector… Together, NASA and private companies can ensure our nation remains first in space.”

· Elon Musk, CEO and CTO of SpaceX: “Handing over Earth orbit transport to American commercial companies, overseen of course by NASA and the FAA, will free up the NASA resources necessary to develop interplanetary transport technologies. This is critically important if we are to reach Mars, the next giant leap in human exploration of the Universe… For the first time since Apollo, our country will have a plan for space exploration that inspires and excites all who look to the stars.”

· Bretton Alexander, President of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation: “The President’s message today was spot-on: the new plan means more jobs, more spacecraft, more new technologies, and more astronaut flights. In fact, a recent independent study by the Tauri Group found that NASA investment in new commercial spaceflight programs will create an average of 11,800 direct jobs per year over the next five years, and that figure does not even include the investments in other NASA programs like technology and heavy-lift.” [For details on the jobs study, please visit http://www.commercialspaceflight.org/?p=1186]

· Bill Nye the Science Guy, Vice President of the Planetary Society: “People don’t realize that NASA’s budget has been increased, not decreased. The President is proposing that we let the maturing commercial space industry take over the routine jobs, while making more money available to explore other worlds. It couldn’t be more exciting.”

The President’s new plan has also been endorsed by other well-known public figures such as New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, former Congressmen Newt Gingrich and Bob Walker, and James Cameron, who served on the NASA Advisory Council from 2003-2005. (Please see http://www.commercialspaceflight.org/?p=1144 for additional endorsements.)

Previously, NASA had already invested $50 million in five commercial space companies — Boeing, United Launch Alliance (ULA), Paragon Space Development Corporation, Blue Origin, and Sierra Nevada Corporation – to demonstrate hardware milestones on the path to commercial human spaceflight as part of the CCDev (Commercial Crew Development) program, as well as an additional $500 million in SpaceX and Orbital Sciences through the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program.

About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation
The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation’s member companies, which include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, spaceports, suppliers, and service providers, are creating thousands of high-tech jobs nationwide, working to preserve American leadership in aerospace through technology innovation, and inspiring young people to pursue careers in science and engineering. For more information please visit www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Executive Director John Gedmark at john@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.349.1121.
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Washington, D.C. – The Commercial Spaceflight Federation is pleased to announce that Jacobs Technology, a division of Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., has joined the Federation as an Associate Member, having received unanimous approval by the organization’s Board of Directors.

Mark Sirangelo, Chairman of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, commented, “On behalf of the member companies of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, we are proud to welcome Jacobs as an Associate Member. We look forward to working with Jacobs to further our organization’s goals of promoting the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursuing ever higher levels of safety, and sharing best practices and expertise throughout the industry.”

Bretton Alexander, President of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, added, “Jacobs has a solid reputation and technical expertise in human spaceflight. As a valued member of the NASA team, Jacobs will help build the partnership between NASA and industry to develop commercial human spaceflight capabilities that are safe, reliable and cost effective, meeting both NASA’s needs and opening human spaceflight to non-government activities.”

“Commercial human spaceflight is an exciting, rapidly emerging industry, one in which we want to engage and joining the Commercial Spaceflight Federation presents a great opportunity for us to do so,” said Lon Miller, Jacobs’ sponsor for NASA Programs and General Manager of JSC’s Engineering and Science Contract Group (ESCG).

Jacobs’ Dr. Joy Kelly, ESCG Deputy General Manager and ESCG lead for Commercial Spaceflight added, “The rise of commercial human spaceflight, both suborbital and orbital, marks a milestone opportunity for the United States and NASA, and we are proud to support these efforts.”

About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation
The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation’s member companies, which include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, spaceports, suppliers, and service providers, are creating thousands of high-tech jobs nationwide, working to preserve American leadership in aerospace through technology innovation, and inspiring young people to pursue careers in science and engineering. For more information please visit www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Executive Director John Gedmark at john@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.349.1121.

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Washington, D.C. – At a National Press Club event to “introduce new commercial space pioneers,” the President’s Science Advisor John Holdren and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden yesterday praised the seven winning companies of NASA’s Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) and Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) competitions. This event followed the announcement on February 1 by the White House that NASA would use commercial spaceflight providers to transport NASA astronauts to the International Space Station.

The President’s Science Advisor praised the “complementary strength between NASA and the private sector in order to make human access both to low-Earth orbit and beyond to deep space faster, safer and more affordable.” NASA Administrator Bolden added that with regard to commercial spaceflight, “It’s not a new idea, but rather, an idea whose time has come. The future is unfolding before us now, and it couldn’t be more exciting… Kids will be able to realistically envision a career that involves space, either going there or using it.”

Bretton Alexander, President of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, added, “The President’s new commercial crew initiative is on course to accelerate the growth of a vibrant 21st century commercial spaceflight industry, creating thousands of high-tech jobs and inspiring a new generation.”

Executives from Sierra Nevada Corporation, Boeing, United Launch Alliance, Blue Origin, Orbital Sciences, Paragon Space Development Corporation, and SpaceX came to Washington DC to attend the event. Introducing these seven companies and their executives at the press event, Administrator Bolden stated, “These are the faces of the new frontier… We will certainly be adding to this group in the near future.”
SpaceX and Orbital Sciences are the funded participants in NASA’s ongoing COTS program for commercial resupply of the Space Station, and Sierra Nevada Corporation, Boeing, United Launch Alliance, Blue Origin, and Paragon Space Development Corporation were awarded $50 million in seed money for commercial crew through the CCDev program, intended as the precursor to a full $6 billion Commercial Crew Program proposed by NASA. Both the CCDev and COTS programs are commercially structured so that NASA pays only when performance milestones are met.

Alexander added, “To have a large and diverse group of companies present at today’s event, including both established contractors and newer entrants, emphasizes that U.S. industry is ready to handle the task of commercial human spaceflight. Commercial spaceflight means growing an entire industry that will generate returns to our economy and allow America to stop sending billions of dollars to Russia to fly our astronauts.”

In addition to other companies that are developing commercial space vehicles, the seven companies featured in the press conference were:
• Sierra Nevada Corporation, which will receive $20 million in CCDev funds for development milestones for a seven-person spacecraft known as Dreamchaser which will launch on Atlas V.
• The Boeing Company, which will receive $18 million in CCDev funds for development milestones for a seven-person crew capsule for low Earth orbit transportation. Boeing partnered with Bigelow Aerospace, which is developing a series of habitable orbital complexes with two prototypes already in orbit.
• United Launch Alliance, a joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin that operates the Atlas and Delta rockets, which will receive $6.7 million in milestone-based CCDev funds to begin developing an emergency detection system for ULA launch systems.
• Blue Origin, which will receive $3.7 million in milestone-based CCDev funds to develop a composite crew test module and a launch escape system for its commercial spaceflight vehicle.
• Orbital Sciences, which has been awarded $171 million in milestone-based COTS funds and received a follow-on contract for International Space Station missions, and is preparing its Taurus II rocket and Cygnus capsule for initial launches in 2011.
• Paragon Space Development Corporation, which will receive $1.4 million in milestone-based CCDev funds for the development of an air revitalization system for use in crewed spacecraft.
• SpaceX, which has been awarded $278 million in milestone-based COTS funds and received a follow-on contract for International Space Station missions, and is preparing its Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule for initial launches this year.

About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation
The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. CSF member organizations include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, and spaceports. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation is governed by a board of directors, composed of the member companies’ CEO-level officers and entrepreneurs. For more information please visit www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Executive Director John Gedmark at john@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.349.1121.

Washington, D.C., February 1, 2010 – The Commercial Spaceflight Federation welcomes the decision today by President Barack Obama to place U.S. human spaceflight on a new trajectory with major investments in technology, science, exploration, and commercial spaceflight. As part of this plan, NASA’s new competitive commercial crew initiative will invest $6 billion over five years for multiple companies to develop human spaceflight capabilities that will take astronauts to and from the International Space Station.

“President Obama has given NASA a bold and exciting new mission: to once again push the limits in technology and exploration, promote innovation, and foster a vibrant commercial spaceflight sector,” said Bretton Alexander, President of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation. “In particular, the commercial crew initiative will create thousands of new high-tech jobs, help open the space frontier with lower-cost launches, and inspire a new generation with high-profile missions. This initiative is on par with the government Airmail Act that spurred the growth of early aviation and led to today’s passenger airline industry, which generates billions of dollars annually for the American economy.”

The Commercial Spaceflight Federation is also congratulating today the winners of $50 million in seed money from the Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) competition, which is NASA’s precursor to the full $6 billion commercial crew program. Boeing, United Launch Alliance (ULA), Paragon Space Development Corporation, Blue Origin, and Sierra Nevada Corporation were selected as winners in the CCDev program, which aims to demonstrate hardware milestones on the path to commercial human spaceflight.

Alexander added, “Investing in commercial spaceflight will allow us to create U.S. jobs, rather than continuing to send billions of dollars to Russia to fly our astronauts to space. With so many capable American companies here at home, why would we send all of U.S. human spaceflight to Russia? Let’s create those thousands of jobs right here in the United States.”

Alexander stated, “Commercial crew will reduce the gap in U.S. human spaceflight by using launch vehicles that are either already flying today or are close to launch, such as the Atlas, Taurus, and Falcon. To build orbital capsules for these existing launch vehicles is on a comparable level to the Gemini program in the 1960s, which required only about three years from contract signed to the first flight of a crew.”

“Using demonstrated launch vehicles will not only reduce the gap, but help ensure safety,” emphasized Alexander. “Upcoming cargo flights mean that the Atlas, Taurus, and Falcon rockets will have long track records by the time astronauts are placed onboard. Safety is paramount for the commercial spaceflight industry – commercial spaceflight providers are already trusted by the U.S. government right now to launch multi-billion dollar military satellites, upon which the lives of our troops overseas depend. And over a dozen distinguished former NASA astronauts, including Buzz Aldrin, published an op-ed a few months ago in the Wall Street Journal stating that commercial companies can safely handle the task of low-Earth orbit transportation.”

Alexander concluded, “With President Obama’s historic decision, we stand on the threshold of a new era in space. The commercial spaceflight industry is working to extend the legacy of the Wright Brothers into space, for the mutual benefit of both NASA and the nation.”

About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation
The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. CSF member organizations include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, and spaceports. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation is governed by a board of directors, composed of the member companies’ CEO-level officers and entrepreneurs. For more information please visit www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Executive Director John Gedmark at john@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.349.1121.

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Washington, D.C. – The Commercial Spaceflight Federation released the following statement on the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel’s 2009 annual report:

While the Commercial Spaceflight Federation agrees with the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP) on its recognition of the importance of commercial spaceflight both for cargo and crew missions, the Commercial Spaceflight Federation disagrees with certain other conclusions and finds some of the assertions in the ASAP’s Annual Report to be incorrect.

The Commercial Spaceflight Federation commends the ASAP on their finding in the ASAP 2009 Annual Report that commercial spaceflight “is emerging as one of the critical programs for NASA” and that “if there is a widening gap, COTS could play a key role and could be a critical program for flight safety of the astronauts.”

The Commercial Spaceflight Federation agrees with the ASAP that NASA must “quickly establish fundamental safety requirements for…programs that may in the future be used to get NASA’s astronauts to Low Earth Orbit (LEO)” and agrees with the ASAP’s direction to NASA that “considerable work must be done,” and that NASA should “accelerate the level of effort underway.” To aid this process, the commercial space industry stands ready to begin working now with NASA to agree on a commercial human-rating plan, including the appropriate standards, requirements for vehicles to meet those standards, and the mechanism by which compliance with those standards will be validated, and industry has established a Commercial Orbital Spaceflight Safety Working Group to engage with NASA and FAA.

Since the ASAP correctly points out that NASA has not yet developed standards and processes for human-rating commercial vehicles, the Commercial Spaceflight Federation disagrees with ASAP’s implication that safety will be compromised because “no COTS manufacturer is currently HRR qualified,” because, quite simply, it is impossible for companies to meet standards that do not currently exist. Until such time as commercial human-rating standards are determined, industry continues to develop vehicle hardware based on the only standards available: those NASA established for its own vehicles, known as NPR 8705.2B. As no commercial provider has yet been tasked by NASA to begin working through a NASA human-rating process, for the ASAP to state that “no COTS manufacturer is currently HRR qualified” is akin to saying that someone didn’t pass his driver’s test when he’s still waiting in line at the DMV and hasn’t even been given the exam yet.

The ASAP’s repeated references to the two “COTS firms” ignores the fact that many companies, including both established firms and new entrants, will compete in the Commercial Crew Program envisioned by the Augustine Committee. While the Falcon 9 and Taurus II vehicles have already met numerous hardware milestones and will have a substantial track record by the time any astronauts are placed onboard, several other potential Commercial Crew providers envision use of launch vehicles such as the Atlas V, vehicles that are already entrusted by the government to launch multi-billion dollar national security payloads upon which the lives of our troops overseas depend.

Despite the ASAP Report’s contention that commercial vehicles are “nothing more than unsubstantiated claims,” the demonstrated track records of commercial vehicles and numerous upcoming manifested cargo flights ensure that no astronaut will fly on a commercial vehicle that lacks a long, proven track record. The Atlas V, for example, has a record of 19 consecutive successful launches and the Atlas family of rockets has had over 90 consecutive successes, and dozens of flights of the Atlas, Taurus, and Falcon vehicles are scheduled to occur before 2014 in addition to successful flights already completed.

Further, thirteen former NASA astronauts, who have accumulated a total of 42 space missions, stated in a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed that commercial spaceflight can be conducted safely:
      “We are fully confident that the commercial spaceflight sector can provide a level of safety equal to that offered by the venerable Russian Soyuz system, which has flown safely for the last 38 years, and exceeding that of the Space Shuttle. Commercial transportation systems using boosters such as the Atlas V, Taurus II, or Falcon 9 will have the advantage of multiple unmanned flights to build a track record of safe operations prior to carrying humans. These vehicles are already set to fly over 40 flights to orbit in the next four years.”

In contrast, ASAP describes the Ares I as “demonstrated” despite the fact the Augustine Committee determined the Ares I vehicle will likely not fly until 2017, and the ASAP ignores the fact that NASA is planning to place astronauts on the second orbital flight of the Ares I system. As Constellation program manager Jeff Hanley recently stated, placing astronauts on these early Ares I flights poses a safety risk equal to or worse than that of the current Space Shuttle:
      “What at least some of our work suggests is that, yes, on the second launch the LOC [loss of crew] risk may be roughly on par with today’s mature shuttle risk. Other assessments are less rosy (a little riskier than a shuttle launch).”

The Commercial Spaceflight Federation disagrees with the ASAP’s characterization of a Commercial Crew Program as an “alternative” to Ares I, because these two systems fulfill very different missions – Commercial Crew is not an alternative to systems designed to travel beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Commercial Crew is akin to developing a Gemini spacecraft for low Earth orbit, rather than an Apollo spacecraft for reaching the Moon. The Orion exploration vehicle, for example, must reenter the atmosphere at one-and-a-half times orbital velocity, encountering nearly double the heat loads that a LEO-only spacecraft would encounter. Because it serves a simpler mission, any vehicle that is designed simply to service the Space Station and other LEO destinations will be more cost-effective without sacrificing safety.

The ASAP mischaracterized how safety was treated by The Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee (also known as the “Augustine Committee”). The ASAP’s 2009 Annual Report perpetuates the unfortunate misconception that the Augustine Committee inappropriately assumed safety to be a “given” (here the ASAP appears to be misquoting the Augustine Committee’s statement that safety was treated as “sine qua non” – in fact, “sine qua non” is universally defined as “something absolutely indispensable or essential”).  As Norm Augustine stated in a Congressional hearing, safety was “the number one issue for us [the Committee] to consider.”  The Augustine Committee, whose 10 members have cumulatively amassed 293 years of space industry experience, spent an extensive amount of time on safety issues and determined that “the Committee… would not suggest that a commercial service be provided for transportation of NASA crew if NASA could not be convinced that it was substantially safe.” In contrast, the ASAP stated it has “not yet had the opportunity to evaluate any of these [commercial] concepts with regard to inherent safety issues.”

About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation
The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. CSF member organizations include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, and spaceports. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation is governed by a board of directors, composed of the member companies’ CEO-level officers and entrepreneurs. For more information please visit www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Executive Director John Gedmark at john@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.349.1121.

Washington, D.C. – Showcasing the growing interest in conducting research and education missions aboard commercial suborbital spacecraft, eleven researchers including members of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation’s Suborbital Applications Researchers Group (SARG) successfully completed a training program yesterday at The National Aerospace Training and Research (NASTAR) Center in Pennsylvania.

The training included classroom instruction, altitude chamber training, multi-axis centrifuge training for launch and reentry accelerations, and several distraction factor exercises, simulating the conditions that scientist-astronauts will experience during future missions to 100 km altitude.

“For this diverse group of scientists to invest their own time and money for astronaut training is a true testament to the growing excitement behind the science potential of new commercial spacecraft,” said Dr. S. Alan Stern, chairman of SARG and a principal organizer of the scientist training program. “Interest was so high that we’ve already filled up a second class of a dozen scientists for spring 2010.”

“Just as important was the training success rate from this week,” added Stern. “Of the 11 scientists, a diverse group of men and women ranging from 26 to 52 years old, 100% of them passed the centrifuge training, and all but one passed the altitude chamber training. That’s not only impressive, but bodes well for regular researchers being able to accompany their laboratory equipment to space in the years to come.”

“We are constantly impressed with the enthusiasm of the scientific community for the potential of next-generation commercial reusable spacecraft, such as those being developed by Armadillo Aerospace, Blue Origin, Masten Space Systems, Virgin Galactic, and XCOR Aerospace,” added John Gedmark, Executive Director of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation. “We’ve had tremendous interest at recent science workshops we’ve conducted at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the American Geophysical Union annual conference, and the Aerospace Medical Association annual conference, with over 150 scientists attending in total.”

Brienna Henwood, Business Development and Program Manager for Space and Research at The NASTAR Center, stated, “I am thrilled to add the Suborbital Scientist Course to our current offerings. The course is more than just physiology training, it provides an overview about suborbital research and is ideal for anyone interested in learning more about the growing opportunities that rest within the commercial spaceflight industry.”

Institutions sending researchers, students and graduate students to the inaugural program included Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), Boston University, the Denver Museum of Natural Sciences (DMNS), the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the University of Central Florida (UCF) and the Universities Space Research Association (USRA).

About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation
The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. CSF member organizations include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, and spaceports. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation is governed by a board of directors, composed of the member companies’ CEO-level officers and entrepreneurs. For more information please visit www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Executive Director John Gedmark at john@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.349.1121.