FYI,

"NASA Picks Finalists for Space Station Resupply Demonstrations"
Space.com
http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20080118/sc_space/nasapicksfinalistsfors
pacestationresupplydemonstrations;_ylt=AuJ1RG6HCHs0Hmx60OZu628E1vAI

: NASA has narrowed the field of private space companies vying for
: $175 million in public funds the U.S. space agency expects to award
: in early February for demonstration flights to the International
: Space Station, according to industry sources closely following the
: competition.

: At least eight firms, and perhaps as many as 14, submitted
: proposals in late November under the Commercial Orbital
: Transportation Services (COTS) program. Established in 2006, COTS
: aims to spur development of privately operated space transportation
: systems capable of delivering cargo and eventually astronauts to
: the space station.

: NASA selected two companies — Space Exploration Technologies Corp.
: and Rocketplane Kistler (RpK) — in mid-2006 to share about
: $500 million. But NASA has since pulled the plug on RpK's award for
: non-performance, freeing up the $175 million NASA intends to give
: to some other company next month.

: According to multiple industry sources, NASA has notified four
: companies that they are finalists for the $175 million and should
: prepare to meet with COTS selection officials in Houston in the
: days ahead to defend their proposals.

: Spacehab was one of the companies notified the week of Jan. 14 that
: it had made the cut, Eva DeCardenas, a spokeswoman for the
: Houston-based company, confirmed Jan. 17.

: The other companies, according to sources are: Andrews Space of
: Seattle; Orbital Sciences of Dulles, Va.; and PlanetSpace of
: Chicago.

: NASA spokeswoman Beth Dickey would not confirm that a downselect
: had taken place since the COTS competition remains under way.

: Industry sources said NASA intends to announce its final selection
: Feb. 7, the date by which the U.S. Government Accountability Office
: is required to rule on RpK's challenge of NASA's use of Space Act
: Agreements for the COTS program. RpK maintains that a traditional
: federal contract would be a better fit for COTS.

Mark Reiff