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.

FMI: www.spacehab.com, www.nasa.gov