Shuttle rocket-builder vying for NASA space taxi work

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA, May 12: Two of NASA’s prime contractors are teaming with Europe’s Astrium to develop a commercial space taxi built from shuttle heritage booster rockets and a prototype NASA spaceship originally designed as an alternative to the deep-space Orion capsule, the companies announced on Wednesday. The system, known as Liberty, is among at least four contenders for the next phase of NASA’s so-called Commercial Crew program, scheduled to be awarded this summer.
(agencies)