NASA Administrator Charles Bolden discusses the success of the agency's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) initiative during a televised news briefing at NASA Headquarters. Through COTS, NASA's partners Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) and Orbital Sciences Corp., developed new U.S. rockets and spacecraft, launched from U.S. soil, capable of transporting cargo to low-Earth orbit and the International Space Station. A successful Orbital Sciences demonstration mission to the space station was completed in October, signifying the end of COTS development. SpaceX made its first trip to the space station in May 2012 and completed its COTS partnership with NASA the same year. The agency now contracts space station cargo resupply missions with both companies. The briefing participants were: -- Charles Bolden, NASA Administrator -- Alan Lindenmoyer, Manager of Commercial Crew and Cargo Program, NASA -- Gwynne Shotwell, President, SpaceX -- Frank Culbertson, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Orbital Sciences Advanced Programs Group -- Frank Slazer, Vice President of Space Systems, Aerospace Industries Association -- Phil McAlister, Director of Commercial Spaceflight Development, NASA

• published: 13 Nov 2013
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