WELCOME

At least, that's what NASA and SpaceX are doing under

June 15, 2019 by Ella Pickett

At least, that's what NASA and SpaceX are doing under a new NASA contract signed earlier this year. Though that contract was initially signed in 2013, it now covers NASA's first stage development, production, and operations in the first three months of 2016—the end of 2016.

"This contract will allow NASA to continue to grow as a leader in space, and it will benefit the space industry to continue to support the development of the first stage design as well as the development of new systems to support its capabilities," said Scott Bolton, senior manager of Space Systems for NASA's Commercial Crew Program. "NASA is committed to the fact that our new, more affordable Dragon spacecraft should be a success for NASA's Commercial Crew Program. There is still time to demonstrate that we can continue to work together with SpaceX on the development of new technologies, the development of new technologies, and the development of reusable rockets."

A SpaceX representative told Space.com in 2014 that the contract with NASA will allow SpaceX to continue to make a "fresh start" in the space industry. The company, however, declined to comment on its contract with NASA, citing confidentiality agreements.

What's more, the SpaceX contract is not only a boon for NASA but also a boon for SpaceX's ability to do more than just launch people into space—it's also a boon for SpaceX's continued ability to keep NASA competitive. It is SpaceX's second contract with NASA—the first was a $40 million contract for a lunar exploration company (in 2006). The company signed an agreement with NASA in 2012 for a $3 billion contract for a satellite launch and mission system company to launch astronauts to the International Space Station.

"We can use this opportunity to continue the mission of mission success for NASA through future missions, which are important to our mission to send humans back to Mars," said Scott Bolton.

As for the commercial crew program, SpaceX has been working to launch astronauts on its Dragon rocket since 2009. It is now working for the U.S. government, which has awarded the company a $10 million contract to conduct an unmanned mission to the International Space Station (ISS), a manned mission that it is currently building on its own.

"We will continue to push forward with a full-scale launch program to Mars," said Bolton. "We are now in the final stages of building an early stage. We plan to get the payloads ready for a second mission."

SpaceX's Falcon 9 can take off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, a three-flight launch