The X-programs are looking at what it will take to lower the cost of space flight. Reducing that cost is important to NASA and the burgeoning space business industry. The United States is not yet in a strong position in that business arena, Sackheim said. We need to recover market share by providing safe, extremely reliable and low-cost American launch services. Everyone in the business of space transportation agrees we need low-cost access to space, and we have great difficulties in achieving concensus to chart the 'right' course to achieve this major goal.
Space transportation is more important than just reaching low-Earth orbit.
Everything that goes into space, goes to a low-Earth orbit and then on to a higher operational orbit. Artist's concept of the X-37 in the Earth's atmosphere. When you launch something off the ground, you are mostly carrying propellant. It takes a lot of propellant to get the ultimate payload to the higher orbit. To do the Integrated Space Transportation Program process in a fair and balanced way NASA has to make sure all of the options get considered so that we come up with the best solutions, he said.