Our role is to develop the high risk technologies that industry cannot afford. But we won't buildthe vehicle, industry will. NASA will be a user, not an operator. Goldin said the objective of the RLV technology program is simple. Under this agreement, NASA defined the broad objectives and industry proposed an approach to meet the objectives.
Payment is made only after the industry partner completes a pre-determined milestone.
The RLV approach is to design a little, build a little, test a little, fly a little. The Mach 8 X-34 vehicle, to be built by Orbital Sciences Corp., will demonstrate technologies necessary for a reusable vehicle. Three industry teams competed for the X-33 vehicle. Proposals were submitted by the three companies in April on CD-ROM media. One CD-ROM replaced approximately eight boxes worth of printed material.