[Satellite Today – 2-19-08] NASA and Orbital Sciences Corp. signed a Space Act Agreement for the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) project, Orbital announced Feb. 19.
    Under the $170 million contract, Orbital Sciences will develop and demonstrate commercial orbital transportation services that could be used to launch and deliver crew and cargo to the International Space Station. In Phase 1, Orbital Sciences will demonstrate one or more of four capabilities: external, unpressurized cargo delivery and disposal; internal, pressurized cargo delivery and disposal; internal, pressurized cargo delivery and return; and an option for crew transportation. NASA plans to purchase cargo resupply services competitively in Phase 2.
    In 2006, NASA awarded COTS contracts to Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) and Rocketplane Kistler, but the agency terminated Rocketplane Kistler‘s agreement in October and reopened the competition. SpaceX announced Feb. 14 that it had completed the preliminary design review for its second Falcon 9/Dragon demonstration vehicles for the program.