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CCDev = Commercial Crew Development round-2
8 finalists were chosen to compete for parts of a $200 million pot -
(NOTE: Merlin 1D = a higher powered SpaceX Merlin engine; Falcon 9 Extended = 9 Merlin 1D engines + 25% larger 1st stage tanks for up to 20 metric tons to low Earth orbit)
Alliant Techsystems (ATK): the Ares 1-like Liberty booster, a 5 segment shuttle derived SRB 1st stage with an Ariane 1st stage used as a 2nd stage - AKA "FrankenRocket" (lots of people in the space community call it a solution looking for a problem)
Blue Origin: New Shepard bi-conic (nose first re-entry) capsule & pusher launch escape system (Jeff Bezos (Amazon.com) owned - lots of connections to the military & intelligence community) Launcher unknown.
Boeing: CTS-100 capsule. Low Earth orbit only & no solar, so only 48hrs as a free-flyer. Launcher agnostic - Atlas V, Delta IV, Merlin 1C equipped Falcon 9 or Liberty.
Excalibur Almaz: updated Russian TKS capsule & Almaz (AKA Salyut) mission module (bit of a surprise. Lots of x-NASA involved, HQ'd on Isle of Man). Low Earth orbit only. Launcher agnostic.
Orbital Sciences: Prometheus spaceplane - low Earth orbit only. Lots of work already done in the defunct Orbital Space Plane program. Low Earth orbit only. Atlas V or Delta IV (perhaps a Merlin 1D equipped Falcon 9 Extended)
Sierra Nevada: Dream Chaser spaceplane - a reborn NASA HL-20, the original intended replacement for the shuttle. Low Earth orbit only. Atlas IV or Delta IV (perhaps a Merlin 1D equipped Falcon 9 Extended)
SpaceX): Dragon launch escape/landing engines & life support; finish man-rating Merlin 1C equipped Falcon 9. Already flying & impressing about everyone, everywhere. Low Earth orbit and beyond Earth orbit; solar powered with a 2 year on-orbit life. Dragon is primarily Falcon 9, but launcher agnostic.
United Launch Alliance (ULA): man-rated Atlas V & Delta IV boosters.
8 finalists were chosen to compete for parts of a $200 million pot -
(NOTE: Merlin 1D = a higher powered SpaceX Merlin engine; Falcon 9 Extended = 9 Merlin 1D engines + 25% larger 1st stage tanks for up to 20 metric tons to low Earth orbit)
Alliant Techsystems (ATK): the Ares 1-like Liberty booster, a 5 segment shuttle derived SRB 1st stage with an Ariane 1st stage used as a 2nd stage - AKA "FrankenRocket" (lots of people in the space community call it a solution looking for a problem)
Blue Origin: New Shepard bi-conic (nose first re-entry) capsule & pusher launch escape system (Jeff Bezos (Amazon.com) owned - lots of connections to the military & intelligence community) Launcher unknown.
Boeing: CTS-100 capsule. Low Earth orbit only & no solar, so only 48hrs as a free-flyer. Launcher agnostic - Atlas V, Delta IV, Merlin 1C equipped Falcon 9 or Liberty.
Excalibur Almaz: updated Russian TKS capsule & Almaz (AKA Salyut) mission module (bit of a surprise. Lots of x-NASA involved, HQ'd on Isle of Man). Low Earth orbit only. Launcher agnostic.
Orbital Sciences: Prometheus spaceplane - low Earth orbit only. Lots of work already done in the defunct Orbital Space Plane program. Low Earth orbit only. Atlas V or Delta IV (perhaps a Merlin 1D equipped Falcon 9 Extended)
Sierra Nevada: Dream Chaser spaceplane - a reborn NASA HL-20, the original intended replacement for the shuttle. Low Earth orbit only. Atlas IV or Delta IV (perhaps a Merlin 1D equipped Falcon 9 Extended)
SpaceX): Dragon launch escape/landing engines & life support; finish man-rating Merlin 1C equipped Falcon 9. Already flying & impressing about everyone, everywhere. Low Earth orbit and beyond Earth orbit; solar powered with a 2 year on-orbit life. Dragon is primarily Falcon 9, but launcher agnostic.
United Launch Alliance (ULA): man-rated Atlas V & Delta IV boosters.
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