Displaying items by tag: cargo vehicule

PPTS (Prospective Piloted Transport System), unofficially called Rus, is a project being undertaken by the Russian Federal Space Agency to develop a new-generation partially reusable capsule manned spacecraft.

Its official name is Pilotiruemyi Transportny Korabl Novogo Pokoleniya or PTK NP meaning New Generation Piloted Transport Ship.

The goal of the project is to develop a new-generation spacecraft to replace the current Soyuz which was developed by the Soviet Union, and is similar to US Orion spacecraft. 

The Soyuz spacecraft (not to be mixed with the Soyuz rocket) is a series of spacecraft initially designed for the Soviet space programme by the Korolyov Design Bureau in the 1960s, and still in service today. The Soyuz succeeded the Voskhod spacecraft and was originally built as part of the Soviet Manned Lunar programme. 

The Soyuz spacecraft is launched by the Soyuz rocket, the most frequently used and most reliable Russian launch vehicle to date. Soyuz spacecraft were used to carry cosmonauts to and from Salyut and later Mir Soviet space stations, and are now used for transport to and from the International Space Station (ISS).

At least one Soyuz spacecraft is docked to ISS at all times for use as an escape craft in the event of an emergency.

Space Operations, Inc. (SpaceOps) was established to satisfy a growing world-wide demand for a reliable and affordable spacecraft vehicle with capacity for carrying flight crews and vital cargo into space.

Mission Statement: To provide a crew launch capability, based in the the U.S., at the earliest possible time.

Space Operations was founded in 2011.

Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) is a NASA program to coordinate the delivery of crew and cargo to the International Space Station by private companies.

The program was announced on January 18, 2006. NASA has suggested that "Commercial services to ISS will be necessary through at least 2015."
COTS must be distinguished from the related Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) program. COTS relates to the development of the vehicles, CRS to the actual deliveries. COTS involves a number of Space Act Agreements, with NASA providing milestone-based payments. COTS does not involve binding contracts.

The Cygnus spacecraft is an unmanned resupply spacecraft being developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation as part of NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) developmental program.

It is designed to transport supplies to the International Space Station (ISS) following the retirement of the American Space Shuttle in 2011. Since August 2000 unmanned ISS resupply missions have been regularly flown by Russian Progress spacecraft, as well as by the European Automated Transfer Vehicle, the Japanese H-II Transfer Vehicle, and the SpaceX Dragon. With the Cygnus spacecraft, NASA seeks to increase its partnerships with domestic commercial aviation and aeronautics industry.