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approaching the International Space Station ]] K-1 LAUNCH VEHICLE Rocketplane Kistler's primary project is the K-1 Launch Vehicle , a Reusable Launch System which is intended to get as high as Geosynchronous Orbit , and is hoped to compete with NASA's relatively expensive, one-shot rockets for servicing of the International Space Station . CORPORATE HISTORY Kistler Aerospace was a private company attempting to develop fully reusable vehicles capable of earth orbit at a minimal price. In February 2006, Kistler was purchased by the majority owner of Rocketplane , a competing reusable, private spacecraft firm. Kistler Aerospace will continue to operate, but using the name Rocketplane Kistler. The two companies apparently will continue to exist separately, but will work together. NASA launch partnership In August 2006, NASA announced that Rocketplane Kistler had been chosen, along with SpaceX , to develop crew and cargo launch services, aka Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS), for the International Space Station . The plan calls for demonstration flights between 2008 and 2010. Rocketplane Kistler would receive up to $207 million if they met all NASA milestones.123 In November 2006, Rocketplane Kistler and Alliant Techsystems announced that Alliant Techsystems will become the lead contractor for Rocketplane Kistler’s K-1 Launch Vehicle .4 Unmet financial milestones In September 2006, Rocketplane Kistler began to miss financial milestones associated with the COTS agreement, and requested and received from NASA a 30-day extension on the milestone for completing its $40 million initial financing round.5 In February 2007 RpK renegotiated its COTS agreement, agreeing to raise the $500 million of required private financing before the end of May. By August 2007, RpK had failed to obtain that financing, forcing them to cut their workforce.6 REFERENCES EXTERNAL LINKS |
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