BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — NASA announced three multimillion-dollar contracts on Friday that it is awarding to three American companies, which could ultimately take astronauts back into space.
The companies are all developing their own spacecraft to end U.S. reliance on the Russians to get into orbit.
Space X, Sierra Nevada Corporation and Boeing will all get hundreds of millions of dollars as they try to develop their own replacements for the space shuttle.
Space X may be the furthest along in the process. NASA awarded the California-based company $440 million to make its Dragon capsule, which has already flown a cargo mission to the space station, and it will be capable of flying people next.
Sierra Nevada, which is based out of Reno, Nev., has been building a minishuttle capable of carrying seven astronauts into space and then landing like a glider. It is very similar to the retired shuttles, except without a huge payload bay.
Sierra Nevada got the smallest of the three awards, $212 million.
Boeing received the largest award of $460 million. Boeing has been developing its own capsule, CST-100, to take astronauts to the space station.
NASA said it is using the seed money to help private companies create three different spacecraft, rather than putting all its eggs in one basket.
"By investing in American companies and American ingenuity, we are spurring free-market competition to give taxpayers more bang for the buck," said NASA administrator Charlie Bolden.
The companies still have to go through a rigorous certification process to make sure they are all safe for human flight. Space X's founder, Elon Musk, has already said it is an exciting milestone and sets a decisive course.
Space X is planning its first manned mission in 2015 if it stays on track. That means more jobs on the Space Coast.
Bolden said Friday morning the Kennedy Space Center has turned a corner, and the number of people getting new jobs should outnumber the layoffs.