NASA and the Private Sector - Page 40

On August 07 2014 02:58 Gorsameth wrote:
Until the emDrive can get us cheaply and efficiently off the planet and into space I really don't care a whole lot what rules it may or may not break.

On August 07 2014 02:58 Gorsameth wrote:
Until the emDrive can get us cheaply and efficiently off the planet and into space I really don't care a whole lot what rules it may or may not break.

Space Exploration Technologies, the commercial space transportation startup founded by Elon Musk with ambitions to land people on Mars, is raising investment that values the company somewhere south of $10 billion, TechCrunch has learned.

These new details are emerging while SpaceX, as the company is more commonly known, continues to make advances with its own spacecraft and rack up more agreements for future commercial and government launches. The company also potentially faces stiffer competition from other commercial firms that are looking to compete more aggressively in the new space race.

The latest capital infusion includes a large secondary investment, which appears to be somewhere in the region of $200 million. This confirms some of the details published in April this year by Quartz, which cited a source reporting that the company might be raising between $50 million and $200 million.

TechCrunch understands that among those investing in SpaceX are international financiers making secondary investments, but also investment firms in the U.S. such as Draper Fisher Jurvetson. DFJ has been a past investor and it also noted, in May, that it is making an investment in SpaceX out of its latest $470 million fund; Blumberg Capital is another name that TechCrunch has heard in connection with SpaceX financing.

“SpaceX is not currently raising any funding nor has any external valuation of that magnitude or higher been done,” SpaceX communications director John Taylor wrote in an email to Gigaom. “The source in this report is mistaken.”

On August 22 2014 01:47 hypercube wrote:


This turned out to be a false rumour.



http://gigaom.com/2014/08/19/spacex-reportedly-raising-massive-funding-round-valued-at-10b/

Would be interesting to know how much SpaceX is worth. Last number I remember was around 4-5bn last year (based on an internal funding round).

In other SpaceX news, NASA's decision on the Commercial Crew program is coming up. NASA will select the company or companies that will build and operate the spacecraft to transport US astronauts to the International Space Station. The main contestants are Boeing's CST-100, SNC's Dream Chaser spaceplane and SpaceX's Dragon V2. Decision is expected on either Aug 22. (tomorrow) or Aug 29.

SpaceX has said they will continue developing the Dragon whether they get the contract or not. Boeing said they don't plan to continue development if they don't win.

On August 22 2014 02:59 Yurie wrote:


I read an article where the PR person for Boeing said they would look at into it. Which means they would most likely cancel the project, not that they would for certain. Can't find it now though. :/

The 60-day notices, required under the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN), were distributed June 20 to about 170 employees in Houston and 45 in Florida in case Boeing is not selected for an upcoming Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) contract, Boeing spokesman Adam Morgan told SpaceNews.
[...]
“I think it would be hard to close a business case without that backstop of NASA development funds,” Mulholland said.

HOUSTON, Aug. 21, 2014 (Boeing PR) – Boeing [NYSE: BA] recently completed the Phase Two Spacecraft Safety Review of its Crew Space Transportation (CST)-100 spacecraft and the Critical Design Review (CDR) of its integrated systems, meeting all of the company’s Commercial Crew Integrated Capability (CCiCap) milestones on time and on budget.

The reviews were Boeing’s final two milestones in the current phase of its partnership with NASA. Completed in July, the CDR milestone marks a significant step in reaching the ultimate design that will be used for the spacecraft, launch vehicle and related systems. Propulsion, software, avionics, landing, power and docking systems were among 44 individual CDRs conducted as part of the broader review.

“The challenge of a CDR is to ensure all the pieces and sub-systems are working together,” said John Mulholland, Boeing Commercial Crew program manager. “Integration of these systems is key. Now we look forward to bringing the CST-100 to life.”

The CST-100 is being developed as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which aims to make crew transportation systems available for low-Earth orbit destinations such as the International Space Station by 2017. The capsule could accommodate up to seven crew members or a mix of crew and cargo and features a weld less structure, wireless internet and Boeing LED “Sky Lighting” technology.

The Phase Two Spacecraft Safety Review included an overall hazard analysis of the spacecraft, identifying life-threatening situations and ensuring that the current design mitigated any safety risks.

SpaceX’s Commercial Crew contender, the Dragon V2, will initially return to terra firma under parachutes, assisted by a SuperDraco soft touchdown firing, according to Dragon V2 Program Lead Dr. Garrett Reisman. Eventually, the impressive spacecraft will employ pinpoint propulsive landings, once the technology has been matured via the DragonFly test program.