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Decision coming soon in dispute over NASA's plan to replace the shuttle

dream-chaser

A resolution is expected any day in a dispute over NASA's plan for replacing the shuttle.

The Government Accountability Office must decide by January 5th whether a claim that NASA unfairly awarded contracts to Boeing and SpaceX has merit.

Boeing and SpaceX each were awarded multi-billion-dollar contracts to develop capsules to ferry astronauts to the International Space Station.

Sierra Nevada says it can do it more cheaply. Dale Ketcham of Space Florida says bid protests like Sierra Nevada's used to be rare.

"A couple of decades ago when I first got into this business contractors didn't protest awards because you would be aggravating your customer who you hoped to continue doing business with in future solicitations."

Sierra Nevada is continuing to develop its mini-shuttle but without funding from NASA.

The first manned mission for the space agency’s Commercial Crew program is scheduled for 2017.

Amy Green covered the environment for WMFE until 2023. Her work included the 2020 podcast DRAINED.