Scaled Composites - AirLaunch LLC win small part of NASA CEV contract

Rand Simberg wrote:
(John Carmack) glowed:

Armadillo made a pitch for the H&RT BAA, but we weren't asked to
submit a proposal:

http://www.armadilloaerospace.com/n....ws?news_id=276

Just today I got some feedback from a NASA contractor saying that you
were basically required to be partnered with other companies / NASA
centers / universities to have a chance. That is interesting. They
are essentially requiring you to be an inefficient entity.

Welcome to the world of government contracting

That is not the single right magic formula, however.

I was partnered with not one, not two, but three other companies
for some directed research in vertical lander/vertical takeoff
stages for lunar missions, two of which are Really Well Known
(but not Armadillo, alas... sorry, but your motors aren't
good enough Isp).

We did not get invited past the NOI round into the detailed
proposal round. I got the exact same boilerplate response
as John did.

On the plus side, some companies that clearly do deserve
to be making H&RT detailed proposals did get into that round
and good on them.

Also, good on everyone associated with t-Space, Andrews,
Draper Labs, and Schafer, who got CE&R contracts.

Here's to a dinosaur-free downselect (unlikely,
but we can dream...).


-george william herbert