{"id":23104,"date":"2020-12-02T19:35:40","date_gmt":"2020-12-02T11:35:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/virgin-galactic-and-masten-space-systems-join-4-companies-in-nasa-flight-opportunities-program\/"},"modified":"2020-12-02T19:35:40","modified_gmt":"2020-12-02T11:35:40","slug":"virgin-galactic-and-masten-space-systems-join-4-companies-in-nasa-flight-opportunities-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/virgin-galactic-and-masten-space-systems-join-4-companies-in-nasa-flight-opportunities-program\/","title":{"rendered":"Virgin Galactic and Masten Space Systems join 4 companies in NASA Flight Opportunities program"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure class=\"img-border featured-image wp-block-image--obfuscated\">\n<p>\t<img width=\"100%\" src=\"https:\/\/spaceexplored.com\/wp-content\/themes\/ninetofive\/dist\/images\/default-spaceexplored-related-guide.png?w=1600\" class=\"skip-lazy wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spaceexplored.com\/wp-content\/themes\/ninetofive\/dist\/images\/default-spaceexplored-related-guide.png?w=320&amp;quality=82&amp;strip=all&amp;ssl=1 320w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spaceexplored.com\/wp-content\/themes\/ninetofive\/dist\/images\/default-spaceexplored-related-guide.png?w=640&amp;quality=82&amp;strip=all&amp;ssl=1 640w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spaceexplored.com\/wp-content\/themes\/ninetofive\/dist\/images\/default-spaceexplored-related-guide.png?w=1024&amp;quality=82&amp;strip=all&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spaceexplored.com\/wp-content\/themes\/ninetofive\/dist\/images\/default-spaceexplored-related-guide.png?w=1500&amp;quality=82&amp;strip=all&amp;ssl=1 1500w\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" data-attachment-id=\"7373\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/spaceexplored.com\/2020\/12\/01\/virgin-galactic-and-masten-space-systems-join-4-companies-in-nasa-flight-opportunities-program\/eokhv7vxeai_k4n\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/spaceexplored.com\/wp-content\/themes\/ninetofive\/dist\/images\/default-spaceexplored-related-guide.png\" data-orig-size=\"4096,2304\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-title=\"EoKHv7VXEAI_K4n\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/spaceexplored.com\/wp-content\/themes\/ninetofive\/dist\/images\/default-spaceexplored-related-guide.png?w=1024\"><br \/>\n\t<\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">NASA\u2019s Flight Opportunities program helps scientific and technology demonstration projects have access to the low gravity environment it needs to conduct tests. Virgin Galactic and Masten Space Systems are the latest space companies to join the program. Adding to the four companies already selected, this expanded contract now gives researchers more options for getting their projects into long term zero gravity.<\/p>\n<p><ins data-ad-format=\"auto\" class=\"adsbygoogle adsbygoogle-noablate\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7125080057269629\" data-adsbygoogle-status=\"done\" style=\"display: block; margin: auto; background-color: transparent; height: 0px;\" data-ad-status=\"unfilled\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"aswift_2\" name=\"aswift_2\" style=\"left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; border: 0px; width: 775px; height: 0px; min-height: auto; max-height: none; min-width: auto; max-width: none;\" sandbox=\"allow-forms allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation\" width=\"775\" height=\"0\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" vspace=\"0\" hspace=\"0\" allowtransparency=\"true\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/googleads.g.doubleclick.net\/pagead\/ads?gdpr=0&amp;us_privacy=1YNN&amp;gpp=DBABL~BVQqAAAAAg&amp;gpp_sid=7&amp;client=ca-pub-7125080057269629&amp;output=html&amp;h=280&amp;num_ads=1&amp;adk=2072073738&amp;adf=712772469&amp;abgtt=7&amp;w=775&amp;fwrn=4&amp;fwrnh=100&amp;lmt=1783322124&amp;rafmt=1&amp;armr=3&amp;sem=mc&amp;pwprc=4018519472&amp;ad_type=text_image&amp;format=775x280&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fspaceexplored.com%2F2020%2F12%2F01%2Fvirgin-galactic-and-masten-space-systems-join-4-companies-in-nasa-flight-opportunities-program%2F&amp;host=ca-host-pub-5506057612223327&amp;fwr=0&amp;pra=3&amp;rh=194&amp;rw=774&amp;rpe=1&amp;resp_fmts=3&amp;asro=0&amp;aimartd=4&amp;aieuf=1&amp;aicrs=1&amp;fa=27&amp;dt=1783322124876&amp;bpp=3&amp;bdt=3574&amp;idt=-M&amp;shv=r20260701&amp;mjsv=m202606290101&amp;ptt=9&amp;saldr=aa&amp;abxe=1&amp;cookie=ID%3Dca9555a57a2f2561%3AT%3D1783311541%3ART%3D1783321952%3AS%3DALNI_MZ9A7T4VwT-tN8evk0ZwKoZ5JakhQ&amp;gpic=UID%3D000014b2e7cdc06e%3AT%3D1783311541%3ART%3D1783321952%3AS%3DALNI_MaSgUh-RdxMjeT5RHjKJMdOokxhLw&amp;eo_id_str=ID%3D884394a5f2fa4ed6%3AT%3D1783311541%3ART%3D1783321952%3AS%3DAA-AfjZ32sxFDDemDeSI8J0eSBXq&amp;prev_fmts=0x0%2C336x280&amp;nras=2&amp;correlator=4958833805535&amp;frm=20&amp;pv=1&amp;u_tz=480&amp;u_his=1&amp;u_h=960&amp;u_w=1707&amp;u_ah=912&amp;u_aw=1707&amp;u_cd=24&amp;u_sd=1.5&amp;dmc=8&amp;adx=96&amp;ady=1246&amp;biw=1421&amp;bih=637&amp;scr_x=0&amp;scr_y=0&amp;eid=31099343%2C95395661%2C95393485&amp;oid=2&amp;pvsid=7790624450277500&amp;tmod=855295214&amp;uas=0&amp;nvt=1&amp;fc=1408&amp;brdim=133%2C96%2C133%2C96%2C1707%2C0%2C1441%2C720%2C1438%2C637&amp;vis=1&amp;rsz=%7C%7Cs%7C&amp;abl=NS&amp;fu=128&amp;bc=31&amp;bz=1&amp;pgls=CAk.&amp;ifi=3&amp;uci=a!3&amp;btvi=2&amp;fsb=1&amp;dtd=28\" data-google-container-id=\"a!3\" tabindex=\"0\" title=\"Advertisement\" aria-label=\"Advertisement\" data-load-complete=\"true\" data-google-query-id=\"CPj51b3AvZUDFWFtDwIdDPYUlw\"><\/iframe><\/ins><\/p>\n<p><span id=\"more-7362\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The purpose of the Flight Opportunities program, managed by NASA\u2019s Armstrong Flight Research Facility, is to offer sub-orbital flight services to U.S. government research projects. These contracts are fixed priced, indefinite-delivery\/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) agreements. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This type of contract is something we\u2019ve seen more than the previously used cost-plus contracts that guarantee the contractor a profit no matter what. Cost-plus contracts have proven to be less effective and contribute to cost overruns and deadline push backs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Virgin Galactic with their SpaceShipTwo sub-orbital space plane and its carrier aircraft White Knight Two join Masten Space Systems in the contract that will last through July 2023 to offer NASA and other government agencies flights on their vehicles. <\/p>\n<p>\t<span class=\"outbrain-ad-label\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t<script type=\"text\/plain\">\n\t\t\twindow.adSlotsConfig = window.adSlotsConfig || [];<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\tadSlotsConfig.push( {\n\t\t\t\tslotID: '\/1049447\/Outbrain',\n\t\t\t\tslotName: 'div-gpt-ad-outbrain-ad-7362',\n\t\t\t\tsizes: [300, 250],\n\t\t\t\tslotPosition: 'mid_article'\n\t\t\t} );\n\t\t<\/script><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe\u2019ve flown NASA payloads on previous spaceflights and will fly more on our next spaceflight. We look forward to continuing our partnership to help mature future technologies.\u201d Virgin Galactic shared this morning after NASA made the announcement. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<iframe id=\"twitter-widget-0\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" allowtransparency=\"true\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" class=\"\" style=\"position: static; visibility: visible; width: 500px; height: 572px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=SethKurk&amp;dnt=true&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1333779068064571394&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fspaceexplored.com%2F2020%2F12%2F01%2Fvirgin-galactic-and-masten-space-systems-join-4-companies-in-nasa-flight-opportunities-program%2F&amp;sessionId=3fe19d4a82d202f5c9dd43f74d17b9bd49071433&amp;siteScreenName=space_explored&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=500px\" data-tweet-id=\"1333779068064571394\"><\/iframe><script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Virgin Galactic\u2019s current plane VSS Unity has flown twice and has already carried several experiments for NASA. Masten has been a part of the Commercial Lunar Payload Services contract to give customers a low cost options to send payloads to the lunar surface. <\/p>\n<p><ins data-ad-format=\"auto\" class=\"adsbygoogle adsbygoogle-noablate\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7125080057269629\" data-adsbygoogle-status=\"done\" style=\"display: block; margin: auto; background-color: transparent; height: 0px;\" data-ad-status=\"unfilled\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"aswift_3\" name=\"aswift_3\" style=\"left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; border: 0px; width: 775px; height: 0px; min-height: auto; max-height: none; min-width: auto; max-width: none;\" sandbox=\"allow-forms allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation\" width=\"775\" height=\"0\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" vspace=\"0\" hspace=\"0\" allowtransparency=\"true\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/googleads.g.doubleclick.net\/pagead\/ads?gdpr=0&amp;us_privacy=1YNN&amp;gpp=DBABL~BVQqAAAAAg&amp;gpp_sid=7&amp;client=ca-pub-7125080057269629&amp;output=html&amp;h=280&amp;num_ads=1&amp;adk=2072073738&amp;adf=1821075794&amp;abgtt=7&amp;w=775&amp;fwrn=4&amp;fwrnh=100&amp;lmt=1783322124&amp;rafmt=1&amp;armr=3&amp;sem=mc&amp;pwprc=4018519472&amp;ad_type=text_image&amp;format=775x280&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fspaceexplored.com%2F2020%2F12%2F01%2Fvirgin-galactic-and-masten-space-systems-join-4-companies-in-nasa-flight-opportunities-program%2F&amp;host=ca-host-pub-5506057612223327&amp;fwr=0&amp;pra=3&amp;rh=194&amp;rw=774&amp;rpe=1&amp;resp_fmts=3&amp;asro=0&amp;aimartd=4&amp;aieuf=1&amp;aicrs=1&amp;fa=27&amp;dt=1783322124876&amp;bpp=2&amp;bdt=3573&amp;idt=2&amp;shv=r20260701&amp;mjsv=m202606290101&amp;ptt=9&amp;saldr=aa&amp;abxe=1&amp;cookie=ID%3Dca9555a57a2f2561%3AT%3D1783311541%3ART%3D1783321952%3AS%3DALNI_MZ9A7T4VwT-tN8evk0ZwKoZ5JakhQ&amp;gpic=UID%3D000014b2e7cdc06e%3AT%3D1783311541%3ART%3D1783321952%3AS%3DALNI_MaSgUh-RdxMjeT5RHjKJMdOokxhLw&amp;eo_id_str=ID%3D884394a5f2fa4ed6%3AT%3D1783311541%3ART%3D1783321952%3AS%3DAA-AfjZ32sxFDDemDeSI8J0eSBXq&amp;prev_fmts=0x0%2C336x280%2C775x280&amp;nras=3&amp;correlator=4958833805535&amp;frm=20&amp;pv=1&amp;u_tz=480&amp;u_his=1&amp;u_h=960&amp;u_w=1707&amp;u_ah=912&amp;u_aw=1707&amp;u_cd=24&amp;u_sd=1.5&amp;dmc=8&amp;adx=96&amp;ady=2216&amp;biw=1421&amp;bih=637&amp;scr_x=0&amp;scr_y=0&amp;eid=31099343%2C95395661%2C95393485&amp;oid=2&amp;pvsid=7790624450277500&amp;tmod=855295214&amp;uas=0&amp;nvt=1&amp;fc=1408&amp;brdim=133%2C96%2C133%2C96%2C1707%2C0%2C1441%2C720%2C1438%2C637&amp;vis=1&amp;rsz=%7C%7Cs%7C&amp;abl=NS&amp;fu=128&amp;bc=31&amp;bz=1&amp;pgls=CAk.&amp;ifi=4&amp;uci=a!4&amp;btvi=3&amp;fsb=1&amp;dtd=29\" data-google-container-id=\"a!4\" tabindex=\"0\" title=\"Advertisement\" aria-label=\"Advertisement\" data-load-complete=\"true\" data-google-query-id=\"CJWY1r3AvZUDFTpfDwId3ioiGw\"><\/iframe><\/ins><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While their mission seems focused on the Moon, they do offer a vehicle called Xodiac that has been testing its lunar landing systems.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"post-youtube-video-1\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-zKy4qTr9Qw?version=3&amp;rel=0&amp;showsearch=0&amp;showinfo=1&amp;iv_load_policy=1&amp;fs=1&amp;hl=en-US&amp;autohide=2&amp;wmode=transparent&amp;enablejsapi=1\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-zKy4qTr9Qw?version=3&amp;rel=0&amp;showsearch=0&amp;showinfo=1&amp;iv_load_policy=1&amp;fs=1&amp;hl=en-US&amp;autohide=2&amp;wmode=transparent&amp;enablejsapi=1\" title=\"Next generation reusable rockets - Xodiac and XaeroB\"><\/iframe><br \/>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Virgin and Masten join Blue Origin, UP Aerospace, Raven Aerostar, and World View in this contract to provide both reusable launchers and high-altitude balloons for customer payloads to ride.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"enjoy-reading-space-explored\">Enjoy reading Space Explored?<\/h3>\n<p><ins data-ad-format=\"auto\" class=\"adsbygoogle adsbygoogle-noablate\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7125080057269629\" data-adsbygoogle-status=\"done\" style=\"display: block; margin: auto; background-color: transparent; height: 280px;\"><\/ins><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NASA\u2019s Flight Opportunities program helps scientific and technology demonstration projects have access to the low gravity environment it needs to conduct tests. Virgin Galactic and Masten Space Systems are the latest space companies to join the program. Adding to the four companies already selected, this expanded contract now gives researchers more options for getting their [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23104","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23104"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23104"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23104\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23104"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23104"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23104"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}