Rocketplane-Kistler (RpK) has less than a month to find $10 million – 25% of its private financing – for the first phase of NASA’s $500 million Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) programme after losing its primary partner Orbital Sciences, writes Rob Coppinger.
In August RpK was selected by NASA for a $207 million Space Act Agreement to develop a cargo – and potentially crew – delivery system for the International Space Station by 2010. Orbital Sciences was to manage RpK’s Kistler-1 rocket system development, but disagreement over technical, financing and other issues led to the two companies abandoning their strategic agreement.
“[Our] interest is that RpK meet its milestones as agreed upon in the Space Act Agreement and we are working with them to reach that goal,” says NASA. RpK was not available for comment. The first milestone is financing and is expected in around mid-October. COTS companies have to show they can provide matching capital before NASA will release the first tranche of funds.
Source: Flight International
