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Commercialization

Congress and Commercial Space

By Keith Cowing
NASA Watch
April 19, 2012
Filed under , , ,

Rep. Posey Introduces Commercial Space Legislation
“Today, Congressman Bill Posey introduced legislation to allow for private sector investment in the Department of Defense for space transportation in an effort to modernize America’s defense capabilities, promote America’s commercial space industry and help America regain the loss of commercial launches.”
Commercial Spaceflight Federation Supports Increased Budget for Commercial Crew Program
“The Senate Appropriations Committee has released details of its draft Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations bill that provides $525 million for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program for the 2013 Fiscal Year, an increase from the $406 million provided in the final bill last year. The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science draft bill provides $500 million for the program.”

NASA Watch founder, Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA, Away Teams, Journalist, Space & Astrobiology, Lapsed climber.

2 responses to “Congress and Commercial Space”

  1. dogstar29 says:
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    “The legislation does not spend any taxpayer money but does allow
    commercial space companies to use Defense Department space
    transportation infrastructure such as launch pads.”

    Posey’s bill does not provide a cent, nor does it even add capabilities since the main DOD pads, CX-41(Atlas), CX-37(Delta) and soon maybe CX-40 (Falcon) are already commercial. It allows Posey to campaign saying he supports private enterprise in space while cutting taxes. Posey hates Obama (and indeed most Democrats) so bitterly that he will do everything he can to sabotage NASA Commercial Crew, perceived as an Obama program, and to pour more tax dollars into the current iteration of the Bush program, Constellation.

  2. Saturn1300 says:
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    Cost per launch (1969)
    $3.16m (USD)(wikipedia).For Titan-2.Today that cost would be 100x for Antares.Does not sound right,does it?What else has gone up 100X?Gold?There are fabricating companies(thousands)all over the US,if you gave them plans for a rocket and materials could build one.Like Jack Roush.Chrysler built the Saturn-I.AC built the electronics for Titan-2.Look around NASA,you might find somebody cheaper than the aerospace companies.Elon said some companies use blocks of aluminum to machine out the sides of the rockets.SpaceX and Soyuz don’t.Sounds a little cheaper that way.Maybe that is why Titan-2 weighs 14,000lbs. and Delta-IV weighs 50,000lbs empty.
     Happy Earth Day.The image from Dish Earth also shows Luna.A little distorted.