Aug 28 1996
From The Space Library
NASA and Orbital Sciences Corporation signed a contract, which was not a cooperative agreement, whereby Orbital Sciences would build a new X-34 reusable launch vehicle, smaller than that originally planned. NASA had first made public the original X-34 program in 1994. NASA had intended the program, also known as the Reusable Small Booster Program, to stimulate the development of a reusable commercial launch vehicle to place smaller payloads in low orbit. In addition, NASA planned for the X-34 program to demonstrate that an industry-led partnership between NASA and the aerospace industry could accomplish this objective within 30 to 36 months and within a fixed government budget. On 12 January 1995, NASA released a final cooperative agreement notice for the X-34 program, and in March 1995, NASA selected Orbital Sciences Corporation as its industry partner. Over the next eight months, as design of the X-34 progressed, problems arose over the selection of an appropriate rocket engine, resulting in NASA's temporarily shutting down the program on 2 November 1995. In January 1996, Orbital Sciences Corporation suggested that NASA explore the potential of a smaller vehicle. Orbital Sciences then issued stop-work orders to all its X-34 subcontractors, effectively ending the program. Because NASA wanted to use remaining federal dollars to develop a smaller vehicle, capable of demonstrating various reusable launch technologies, it rebid the contract in March 1996. On 10 June 1996, NASA selected Orbital Sciences to build the new X-34.
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