Analysts: Aerospace Firms Grow Interest in NASA’s Cargo Resupply Services Program

At least five companies have submitted bids to NASA to deliver supplies to the International Space Station through a second round of commercial resupply services competition, the Washington Post reported Monday.

Christian Davenport writes NASA’s decision to partner with industry for ISS cargo resupply missions has drawn interest from bigger contractors and encouraged investor-backed startup aerospace firms to pursue the program.

“Never have we seen this level of investment come in,” Eric Stallmer, president of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, told The Post.

“What you’re seeing now is more recognition that there is a near- and long-term market for commercial access to low Earth orbit, and that is why you see more competition emerging,” John Mulholland, a Boeing vice president and program manager, noted to the newspaper.

SpaceX and Orbital ATK have transported cargo and scientific payloads to the space station in the past few years through their CRS agreements with NASA.

Davenport reports that Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Sierra Nevada now want a piece of the work.