By SETH BORENSTEIN, AP Science Writer
HOUSTON – How America gets people and stuff into orbit is about to be outsourced in an out-of-this-world way.
With the space shuttle’s retirement Thursday, no longer will flying people and cargo up to the International Space Station be a government program where costs balloon. NASA is turning to private industry with fixed prices, contracts and profit margins. The space agency will be the customer, not the boss.
At least when it comes to the routine part of going to and from the space station, NASA hopes to rely on companies that will be the space version of FedEx and Yellow Cab.
The company that has been leading the commercial space race is hoping to launch its privately built rocket and capsule to the space station late this year. It won’t carry astronauts, but if all goes well the unmanned ship will dock with the station and deliver food, water and clothing. And its major private cargo competitor may only be a month or two on its heels.