NASA Establishes Commercial Crew/Cargo Project Office

James Hartsfield
Johnson Space Center, Houston
(Phone 281/483-5111)

Michael Braukus
Headquarters, Washington
(Phone 202/358-1979)


11.07.05
RELEASE: J05-056


NASA Establishes Commercial Crew/Cargo Project Office

NASA has formed the Commercial Crew/Cargo Project Office to spur private
industry to provide cost-effective access to low-Earth orbit and the
international space station in support of the Vision for Space Exploration.

Part of the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate, the office is located
at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston. NASA named Alan J. Lindenmoyer
project manager. The office will manage orbital transportation capability
demonstration projects that may lead to the procurement of commercial cargo
and crew transportation services to resupply the space station.

The commercial sector will soon get an opportunity to provide these
services. In testimony before a Congressional committee last week, NASA
Administrator Michael Griffin said, "Later this month NASA will issue a
draft solicitation requesting commercial service demonstrations for space
station crew and cargo delivery and return. Where commercial providers have
demonstrated the ability to meet NASA's needs and safety requirements,
commercial services will be purchased instead of using government assets and
operations."

"There are many in the private sector that are eager to develop commercially
viable space transportation systems," said Scott Horowitz, associate
administrator, NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate. "In the
future, the commercial sector will provide cost effective access to space
for both crew and cargo. While NASA must develop its own capabilities for
space exploration, the commercial sector will eventually provide these
services when it becomes cost effective. I am very excited to have Alan
leading this effort. His skill, enthusiasm and dedication to developing
commercial space will be key to enabling this fledgling industry."

Lindenmoyer joined NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., in
1982 as a cooperative education student. He worked there as a flight
structures engineer until moving to NASA Headquarters in 1987. At
Headquarters, he served as a structural dynamics engineer for the space
station Freedom program.

He moved to Johnson in 1990. He held progressively more responsible
positions in the international space station program, most recently
including technical integration manager and contracting officer's technical
representative.

Lindenmoyer received a bachelor's degree in engineering and a
commercial/instrument pilot certificate from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical
University, Daytona beach, Fla. He received a master's degree in
aeronautical engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park, Md.


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http://www.nasa.gov/home



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Jacques :-)

www.spacepatches.info