James Dean

FLORIDA TODAY

CAPE CANAVERAL -- The next time astronauts launch to orbit from here, they'll be strapped into a capsule emblazoned with a Boeing or SpaceX logo next to an American flag.

NASA today named those two companies – one from the aerospace establishment, the other a rising "new space" phenomenon – the winners of a competition to launch crews to the International Space Station on private space taxis by 2017.

Worth up to $6.8 billion combined, the contracts include at least one crewed test flight to the station, then between two and six operational flights of four-person crews.

Those missions will end a gap in human spaceflight from U.S. soil that began with the shuttle's last flight in 2011. U.S. crews now rely on Russia for rides to orbit.

"The greatest nation on Earth should not be dependent on any other nation to get into space," NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden said during a 4 p.m. announcement at Kennedy Space Center. "Today we're one step closer to launching our astronauts from U.S. soil on American spacecraft and ending the nation's sole reliance on Russia by 2017."

Boeing and SpaceX beat out Sierra Nevada Corp., developer of a mini-shuttle that offered the only alternative to the Boeing and SpaceX capsules, called CST-100 and Dragon, respectively.

Sierra Nevada has said it hopes to continue developing its Dream Chaser even without NASA support.

NASA awarded Boeing significantly more money, up to $4.2 billion compared to $2.6 billion for SpaceX. That apparently reflects the higher cost of Boeing's proposal, as NASA said the proposals covered the same amount of work.

"Boeing has been part of every American human space flight program, and we're honored that NASA has chosen us to continue that legacy," John Elbon, Boeing vice president and general manager for Space Exploration, said in a statement.

Added SpaceX CEO Elon Musk: "SpaceX is deeply honored by the trust NASA has placed in us. We welcome today's decision and the mission it advances with gratitude and seriousness of purpose."

NASA would not say how many proposals it received or discuss their details, saying it was still debriefing the companies.

The agency also would not confirm if the new commercial spacecraft offer a significantly better value per seat than the $70 million NASA is now paying for Russian Soyuz spacecraft.

The agency insisted that the "service" flights with full crews would not proceed until each company proved its system met NASA's safety standards.

The certification process will emphasize "a feature which we astronauts truly value: safety first," said astronaut Mike Fincke, a veteran of shuttle and Soyuz flights, at the KSC news conference.

The awards should give a boost to the Space Coast economy over the next several years. Boeing plans to base its Commercial Crew Program headquarters here, adding up to 550 local jobs. SpaceX has not discussed jobs, but would likely add far fewer.

Boeing's win helps Space Florida, which is spending about $20 million to renovate a former shuttle hangar, engine shop and offices at KSC that it has agreed to lease to Boeing.

Boeing plans to assemble three CST-100 crew and service modules in the modernized facilities, which might otherwise have gone unused. They now represent KSC's biggest success transitioning unneeded former shuttle facilities for commercial use, along with NASA's 20-year lease of launch pad 39A to SpaceX.

"This validates everything that we've been doing," said KSC Director Bob Cabana.

"Today's announcement is continued good news for Florida and for the nation," added Space Florida CEO Frank DiBello. "Both Boeing and SpaceX have already invested significant time and resources into establishing commercial crew operations here in Florida and we look forward to working hand-in-hand with both companies to make their upcoming missions successful."

Boeing's CST-100 will launch atop United Launch Alliance Atlas V rockets from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 41.

In a surprise to many, Boeing has partnered with Blue Origin, the startup founded by Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos, to develop an engine that could potentially replace the Atlas V's Russian-made main engine, whose continued availability is considered a risk.

ULA and Blue Origin plan to host a press conference Wednesday in Washington, D.C.

SpaceX will launch crews with its Falcon 9 rocket and an upgraded Dragon capsule from KSC's pad 39A, a former Saturn V and shuttle pad.

Those launches should help restore KSC's identity as an important center for human spaceflight, years before a crew is scheduled to launch an exploration mission in an Orion spacecraft.

SpaceX is scheduled to launch a Dragon early Saturday from Cape Canaveral on the company's fourth ISS cargo resupply mission under a $1.6 billion NASA contract.

NASA began funding development of private crew taxis in 2010 and has spent more than $1.4 billion among a group of companies so far.

In addition to launching NASA crews safely and more affordably than shuttles could, it's hoped the new commercial spacecraft will open a market for flights of non-NASA astronauts to low Earth orbit, possibly someday to private space stations.

"When I see the CST-100 and the crewed Dragon, I can't help but think of how it might affect all of us," said Fincke.

Contact Dean at 321-242-3668 or jdean@floridatoday.com