new News from Canadian Arrow/PlanetSpace

According to the article "Orbital Dreams: New Launch Site in Hand for Private Spaceflight Firm" ( www.space.com/news/060821_planetspace_capebreton.html ) PlanetSpace/Canadian Arrow are going for COTS 2010: [quote]On Friday, NASA announced its selection of two U.S.-firms – El Segundo, California’s Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) and Oklahoma-based Rocketplane Kistler – for its $500 million Commercial Orbital Transportation System (COTS) demonstration program. [b]After an initial demonstration round, the agency plans to hold a second open competition – accessible to PlanetSpace and any other interested contenders – to deliver cargo and crew launch services to the ISS.

“One of the things that COTS does for us…[is allow] a bit of a refocus,â€

R-7 type booster too.

I think I'll pass on holding my breath.

What Geoff Sheerin says according to the article "The Ultimate Glide: PlanetSpace's Suborbital Travel Plan
" ( www.space.com/includes/iab.html?url=/bu ... space.html ) shows that he, his investor(s) and his team are well aware of economies of scopes and the chances these economies provide to succeed.

They are well aware how to offer service to three several markets via one and the same vehicle - not rocket! - :[quote]Sheerin said PlanetSpace is studying plans for an initial five-vehicle fleet of Silver Dart spacecraft, each capable of making eight-passenger or unmanned cargo trips into suborbital or orbital space. Versatility, he added, is the goal.

“If they’re not flying to orbit, then I’d like to fly them point-to-point and if they’re not flying point-to-point than I’d like to be flying them on short jaunts into space on space tourist flights,â€

Honestly, I am rather disturbed to see the lack of visible progress coupled with an increased in CG graphics. Classic case of vapour ware?

Hello, koxinga,

what about the point, that they managed to close a Space Act Agreement with NASA?

Would NASA close such an agreement with a company that has vapor ware only? There is a millionaire behind PlanetSpace. Also Under their former name Canadian Arrow they already tested real hardware.

What about the agreement?



Dipl.-Volkswirt (bdvb) Augustin (Political Economist)

I must admit it seems that very lttle has been going on since Canadian Arrow joined forces with PlanetSpace and I am a bit dissappointed with progress.

As for the NASA contract, it is only an agreement to share inormation not fund anything and I would expect NASA to be signing up for more of these types of agreements with as many companies as it can.

Yes, why not? MOU's, technology sharing agreements, there are plenty around and a lot of these lead to absolutely nothing except a good press release and media attention.

EDIT
http://www.kistleraerospace.com/newsinf ... press.html
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=452

Just because NASA signs a contract/agreement etc does not mean a endorsement of a workable transport systems. That's the point I'm trying to make.

Hello, koxinga, hello, Andy Hill,

I have in mind the reason that sharing informations, insights etc. requires manpower as well as access capacity of servers. The agreements closed may result in increased access to NASA's servers as well as in externally caused refocussing of the work of NASA's employees.

This NASA will want to control and thus they will check who is refocussing and accessing which way and restrict acces to seriously working companies while keeping off those lots of teams and companies who don't seriuosly develop space technologies.



Dipl.-Volökswirt (bdvb) Augustin (Political Economist)

Eh, sorry, I don't exactly understand your statements.

The technology sharing agreement is probably similar to the help Benson is getting on the DreamChaser/HL-20 from NASA.

I do think we might see a round of consolidation in the future for all these companies. We are in the early stages of the space economy where everyone is trying to lay a stake in the space tourism/science market.