A decade ago, the idea of relying on commercial spacecraft to deliver cargo to the International Space Station was still very much of an experiment. NASA awarded contracts in late 2008 to both Orbital Sciences Corp. and SpaceX as part of its Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) program for cargo transportation, but both companies were still years away from flying their vehicles. Another company, Rocketplane Kistler, had already been dropped from the program by NASA when it failed to meet funding milestones; it eventually went bankrupt.
To continue reading this article:
Register now to read
3 free articles this month.
You’ll also receive our weekly Editor’s Choice, SpaceNews This Week and Opinions newsletters. Opt-out at any time.
Get unlimited access to SpaceNews.com, the SpaceNews app and our digital monthly magazine for less than $5 per week.
$280
Cancel anytime. Sales tax may apply. No refunds. Terms and conditions apply.