Tags: NASA, Boeing, SpaceX, Sierra Nevada Corporation, International Space Station
Publication: QZ.com
Publication Date: 07/26/2013

The International Space Station (ISS). Image credit: NASA

Boeing, SpaceX and Sierra Nevada Corporation are in competition to build the replacement Space Shuttle to ferry astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). It is estimated that those duties will be handled by Russia’s space program until 2017 or later.

NASA desires $821 million to fund the development of these spacecraft next year. The best outcome would give them $775 million, but it is likely the agency will have to settle for $500 million. According to NASA, the sequester cuts jeopardize the success of the commercial crew program and ensure that jobs are continuously outsourced to Russia.

The three companies are working through a series of design reviews that ensure the spacecraft meet operational standards and are safe for crew, and each milestone unlocks more financing. With less money, those milestones get pushed back, possibly delaying the readiness of a spacecraft, thus forcing the U.S. to stick with another contractor beyond 2017.

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