Are commercial rocket builders ready and able to take over transportation to and from the International Space Station?
The NASA-developed Ares 1 rocket would be cancelled by the Administration’s FY2011 budget, and its task to take astronauts and cargo to the International Space Station would be taken over by commercial launch systems. This could involve “man-rating” existing rockets, such as the United Launch Alliance’s Atlas or Delta, or relying on new companies, such as SpaceX or Orbital Sciences, to provide launch services.
