Sat, Jun 23, 2007
Commercial Cargo Transport System To Launch As Early As
2009
SPACEHAB, Inc. announced the
signing of a Space Act Agreement this week with the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration to facilitate the company's
development of a commercial transportation system capable of
ferrying pre-manufactured cargo and manufacturing equipment to
low-Earth orbit.
This agreement allows the Houston, TX-based commercial space
services provider to develop a low risk, up-mass alternative system
for cargo delivery to space, and complements it's recently
announced plans to manufacture biomedical and advanced materials on
the International Space Station (ISS.)
"It is in SPACEHAB's best interest to ensure access to space
using proven commercial components to fill the gap between the
Space Shuttle retirement in 2010 and the time when other
transportation, NASA or commercial, becomes available," said
SPACEHAB CEO Thomas B. Pickens, III.
Through this Space Act Agreement, NASA will assist by providing
projected requirements of the ISS for cargo transportation services
and requirements for vehicles visiting there. The agreement does
not provide for government funding, but the company expects to
access private capital to fund both space access and manufacturing
requirements.
"In order to capitalize on the
opportunities that SPACEHAB has identified reliable and affordable
access to and from space is critical. It has become eminently clear
that we need to utilize every avenue, partnership, and means
possible to get us and our customers on orbit and to this valuable
'destination,'" said Pickens.
"The ISS is already in a configuration that is equipped to
support manufacturing and SPACEHAB is committed to minimize any
delay in the pursuit of opportunities that hold such great promise
to ultimately save and enhance lives on earth," he concluded.
The transportation system is planned for completion in time for
a mission scheduled as early as 2009.
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