NASA To Announce New Agreements For Next Phase Of Commercial Crew Development

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Aug 01, 2012, 03:21 ET

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA will issue a news release to announce new agreements with industry partners for its Commercial Crew integrated Capability (CCiCap) initiative at 9 a.m. EDT, Friday, Aug. 3. At 10 a.m. NASA will host a news briefing from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, which will be broadcast live on NASA Television and the agency's website. NASA also will host a follow-up teleconference for media representatives with detailed questions at 10:45 a.m., immediately following the briefing.

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Through CCiCap, NASA is stimulating the private sector to develop and demonstrate human spaceflight capabilities that could ultimately lead to the availability of commercial human spaceflight services for both commercial and government customers.

CCiCap is an initiative of NASA's Commercial Crew Program and a priority of the Obama Administration. The objective of the program is to facilitate the development of a U.S. commercial crew space transportation capability with the goal of achieving safe, reliable and cost-effective access to and from low Earth orbit and the International Space Station. After the capability is matured, NASA could purchase commercial services to meet its space station crew transportation needs.

Televised news briefing participants at Kennedy are:

-- NASA Administrator Charles Bolden
-- Kennedy Space Center Director Robert Cabana
-- Commercial Crew Program Manager Ed Mango

News teleconference participants are:

-- Associate Administrator for Human Exploration and Operations Directorate William Gerstenmaier
-- Director for Commercial Spaceflight Development Philip McAlister
-- Deputy Manager for Commercial Crew Program Brent Jett

Media representatives wishing to attend the televised briefing in-person should arrive at Kennedy's Press Site by 9:30 a.m. for access to the OSB-II facility, where the event will take place. U.S. journalists without Kennedy accreditation must request for credentials by 3 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 2. International media accreditation for this event is closed. Badges for this specific event can be picked up at the Kennedy Space Center Badging Office on State Road 405. Media must apply for credentials online at:

https://media.ksc.nasa.gov

To participate in the teleconference, reporters must e-mail their name, media affiliation and telephone number to Trent Perrotto at [email protected] by 9 a.m. Friday, Aug. 3.

For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to the 10 a.m. streaming video of the announcement, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

Audio of the 10:45 a.m. teleconference will be streamed live at:

http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio

To access presentation graphics during the telecon and for more information about NASA's Commercial Crew Program and CCiCap, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

SOURCE NASA