NASA Awards SpaceX With ISS Cargo Resupply Contract

By: Sara Smith
Staff Writer
Published: Dec 26, 2008

NASA and SpaceX are teaming up to launch 12 flights to service the International Space Station. The ISS commercial cargo resupply service is big business valued at $1.6 billion.

NASA announced on Wednesday that it has awarded a $1.6 billion contract to Space Exploration Technologies for commercial cargo resupply services for the International Space Station. The contract calls 12 consignments to service the ISS.

"The SpaceX team is honored to have been selected by NASA as the winner of the Cargo Resupply Services contract," SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said in a statement.

Space Exploration Technologies, also known as SpaceX, is located in Hawthorne, California where it has been testing new rockets since 2002. The space contract guarantees the company a minimum of 20,000 kg of cargo to be carried to the International Space Station.

"This is a tremendous responsibility, given the swiftly approaching retirement of the Space Shuttle and the significant future needs of the Space Station. This also demonstrates the success of the NASA COTS program, which has opened a new era for NASA in US Commercial spaceflight," Musk said.

Orbital Sciences Corp was also awarded a $1.9 billion contract which will participate in eight separate flights to the International Space Station. NASA went commercial with its cargo resupply service which will begin after the retiring shuttle program.

"These agreements will fulfill NASA's need to procure cargo delivery services to the space station using a U.S. commercial carrier after the retirement of the space shuttle," NASA said in a statement.

The value of both contracts combined is projected at $3.5 billion.