November 7, 2005

Michael Braukus/J.D. Harrington

Headquarters, Washington
(Phone 202/358-1979/5241)

James Hartsfield
Johnson Space Center, Houston
(Phone 281/483-5111)

RELEASE: 05-356

NASA ESTABLISHES COMMERCIAL CREW/CARGO PROJECT OFFICE

NASA has formed the Commercial Crew/Cargo Project Office to spur

private industry to provide cost-effective access to low-Earth orbit
and the international space station in support of the Vision for
Space Exploration.

Part of the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate, the office is

located at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston. NASA named Alan J.
Lindenmoyer project manager. The office will manage orbital
transportation capability demonstration projects that may lead to the
procurement of commercial cargo and crew transportation services to
resupply the space station.

The commercial sector will soon get an opportunity to provide these

services. In testimony before a Congressional committee last week,
NASA Administrator Michael Griffin said, "Later this month NASA will
issue a draft solicitation requesting commercial service
demonstrations for space station crew and cargo delivery and return.
Where commercial providers have demonstrated the ability to meet
NASA's needs and safety requirements, commercial services will be
purchased instead of using government assets and operations."

"There are many in the private sector that are eager to develop
commercially viable space transportation systems,” said Scott
Horowitz, associate administrator, NASA's Exploration Systems Mission
Directorate. "In the future, the commercial sector will provide cost
effective access to space for both crew and cargo. While NASA must
develop its own capabilities for space exploration, the commercial
sector will eventually provide these services when it becomes cost
effective. I am very excited to have Alan leading this effort. His
skill, enthusiasm and dedication to developing commercial space will
be key to enabling this fledgling industry."

Lindenmoyer joined NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.,

in 1982 as a cooperative education student. He worked there as a
flight structures engineer until moving to NASA Headquarters in 1987.
At Headquarters, he served as a structural dynamics engineer for the
space station Freedom program.

He moved to Johnson in 1990. He held progressively more responsible

positions in the international space station program, most recently
including technical integration manager and contracting officer's
technical representative.

Lindenmoyer received a bachelor's degree in engineering and a

commercial/instrument pilot certificate from Embry-Riddle
Aeronautical University, Daytona beach, Fla. He received a master's
degree in aeronautical engineering from the University of Maryland,
College Park, Md.

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/home

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