NASA to extend contracts

Orbital Sciences and SpaceX could be hauling cargo to the international space station through 2017 under planned two-year contract extensions NASA announced March 31. NASA said it plans to extend the Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contracts it gave Orbital and SpaceX in 2008 "for up to 24 months from December 2015 to December 2017." It was unclear whether NASA will be ordering additional missions. (Source: Space News, 03/31/14) Gulf Coast note: Orbital's Antares launch vehicle uses Aerojet AJ26 engines tested at Stennis Space Center; SpaceX last year announced it will test its Raptor methane rocket engines at SSC.