NASA is acknowledging that a Canadian-designed spacecraft is a “potentially viable idea” to carry passengers and cargo from a Cape Breton launch pad to its international space station.
The space agency issued a release Thursday saying it has signed an agreement with PlanetSpace Inc. to share some technical information as the firm attempts to develop a rocketship in the next three years.
The agreement provides no cash to PlanetSpace, unlike an arrangement with two U.S.-based companies that have access to $500-million (U.S.) in funding.
However, the news release states the space agency “will share information that will help the companies understand projected requirements for space station crew and cargo transportation vehicles.”
NASA names one other company, Transformation Space Corp. of Reston, Va., as a signatory to a similar business arrangement.
The agency is “proud to reach agreements with two more private companies dedicating their own resources toward establishment of a robust commercial launch industry,” said Scott Horowitz, NASA associate administrator for exploration systems, in the release.
Beth Dickey, a spokeswoman for NASA, said in an interview the agreement is not a contract and NASA isn't obliged to use the PlanetSpace spacecraft, Silver Dart, to provide deliveries of people and cargo to its space station.
However, she added “what these agreements represent is NASA's acknowledgment that these two companies have what project managers consider to be worthwhile or potentially viable ideas for commercial crew and cargo transport.”
PlanetSpace, headquartered in Chicago, but with testing facilities in Canada, says it is raising $200-million from private investors and bank loans.
Geoff Sheerin, the chief executive of PlanetSpace, said in an interview from his London, Ont., offices that receiving the recognition from NASA will help raise money.
Through his firm Canadian Arrow, Mr. Sheerin has been developing a design for the spaceship.
The designer said he's expecting the first milestone in the project would come next year, when the Silver Dart will take off from a Nova Scotia launch pad and fly through the atmosphere at an altitude of about 6,500 metres.
“By the end of 2008 we will put the Silver Dart on top of our rocket booster and fly it 4,000 miles,” said Mr. Sheerin.
By the end of 2009, the goal is to send the spacecraft, named after an early airplane tested in Cape Breton, into orbit.
Eventually, the company says it wants to launch commercial customers into space and expects to create 5,000 “space tourists” over five years.
Chrinjeev Kathuria, chairman of PlanetSpace, said he was “very excited” by the agreement.
“It gives us certain milestones in the (agreement) that NASA will help us achieve.”
He said he believes that NASA wants to retire the space shuttle by 2010 and focus on manned missions to Mars, and the agency will need private companies to develop ways of carrying cargo and crew.
From her office in Washington, D.C., Ms. Dickey also confirmed the agency has agreed to allow its Marshall Space Flight Centre to provide facilities and assistance building portions of the PlanetSpace's rocket boosters.
PlanetSpace has to pay NASA for use of its facilities to work on the project.
Mr. Kathuria said the firm is going to request land be contributed by Nova Scotia Business Inc., the province's economic development agency.
“We're in discussions for a significant piece of land in the Cape Breton area,” said mr. Kathuria.
“We haven't bought any land. I think that would be part of the contribution of Nova Scotia to the project.”
Neither executive was able to provide a precise location for the launch pad site.
A spokeswoman for the Nova Scotia agency, Sarah Levy, said she has no comment on whether the land will be provided.
