NASA Announces COTS Selection

A NASA press release names the companies selected for COTS - Commercial Orbital Transportation Services. The idea of COTS is to eventally buy commercial transportation services for the Space Station, theoretically freeing NASA to pusue it's Moon and Mars agenda as well as giving a kick in the pants to "new space" companies. I'm surprised they didn't just hand it to Lockheed-Martin and Boeing as usual, particularly since Rocketplane-Kistler hasn't flown anything of consequence yet, and the SpaceX Falcon exploded after it's launch due to a corroded nut.

NASA selected SpaceX, El Segundo, Calif. and Rocketplane-Kistler, Oklahoma City, to develop and demonstrate commercial orbital transportation services that could open new markets and pave the way for contracts to launch and deliver crew and cargo to the International Space Station.

In Phase 1, the companies will demonstrate a combination of four capabilities: external (unpressurized) cargo delivery and disposal; internal (pressurized) cargo delivery and disposal; internal cargo delivery and return; and an option for crew transportation.