NASA is recommending that the Lockheed Martin/Boeing-led consortium United Space Alliance, which operates the Space Shuttle fleet, is appointed to manage the total programme. The move could pave the way for the joint venture to take on a similar role on the International Space Station (ISS), NASA believes.
United Space Alliance could be a "strong competitor" for privatised ISS operations in a "merger of government and contractor capabilities", says the agency.
The NASA executive summary of the space agency's plans also suggests that as United Space Alliance would have "strong resident competency in human space flight operations" the company would also be a prime candidate for future space operations contracts, such as the next generation re-usable launch vehicle and human exploration of Mars.
Industry sources suggest that if the joint venture does take on management of the whole Shuttle programme - a move that would require government approval - it would primarily result in a reduction of federal government employees involved in the civil space programme, rather than the stated objective of reducing the costs of spaceflight.
In an effort to further cut costs, NASA is considering delaying completion of the assembly of the ISS to 2006 to reduce the current $4.8 billion cost overrun which led to the cancellation of the Crew Return Vehicle and US Habitation module. A delay would, however, increase the costs of the programme in the long term.
European company Astrium is ready to deliver the European Space Agency's microgravity science glovebox to NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Florida, for its launch to the ISS aboard an Italian logistics module on the Space Shuttle next May. The container will enable ISS astronauts in the Destiny laboratory module to perform combustion, fluids and biotechnology experiments in an enclosed, controlled environment.Source: Flight International
