http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43829330...science-space/
So, while many observers lament the end of the shuttle era and the onset of a multi-year gap in American manned spaceflight, many at NASA and in the private sector say the future is bright.
Blue Origin and SpaceX, too
NASA gave Blue Origin, based in Kent, Wash., $22 million under CCDev-2. The company, which was established by Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos, may use the money to further the development of its New Shepard vehicle. However, Blue Origin is generally very tight-lipped about its plans, so it's tough to say for sure what the firm is up to.
The California-based Space Exploration Technologies, better known as SpaceX, got $75 million during CCDev-2. Unlike the other grantees, SpaceX has actually launched its vehicle into space. Last December the firm blasted its Dragon capsule to orbit aboard its Falcon 9 rocket, then fished the Dragon out of the Pacific Ocean after it splashed down.
SpaceX thus became the first private company ever to launch a spacecraft to Earth orbit and bring it back to terra firma.
SpaceX has a $1.6 billion NASA contract to use the Dragon/Falcon system to carry cargo to the International Space Station. But the company designed Dragon all along to carry crew, and it's in the process of performing the necessary upgrades, officials have said.....snip~
Looks Like The buisness sector is wasting no Time.....