India-born Dr Khaturia's PlanetSpace to partner Boeing for US space supplies programme
27 October 2008
Against the backdrop of India's pioneering mission to the Moon, Chandrayaan-1, India-born Dr Chirinjeev Kathuria's American company has partnered with aerospace company Boeing for a role in America's manned space missions. Khaturia's company PlanetSpace, in partnership with Boeing, is looking to compete for a $3 billion commercial re-supply services contract (CRS) that will ship cargo to the International Space Station (ISS) after 2011.
Around this time the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is planning to decommission its existing space shuttle programme. PlanetSpace is already collaborating with defence manufacturer Lockheed Martin and advanced space systems company Alliant Techsystems (ATK).
In a statement on its website, PlanetSpace said it has added the Space Exploration division of The Boeing Company to its existing team-mates, Alliant Techsystems and Lockheed Martin Corporation on the proposed solution to NASA for the commercial resupply services to the International Space Station.
The PlanetSpace ISS commercial resupply services (CRS) team includes PlanetSpace as the overall prime contractor and manages the CRS contract, with ATK providing the Athena III launch vehicle and ground processing. Lockheed Martin and Boeing will develop, produce and operate modular Orbital Transfer Vehicles (OTV) that serve as the cargo carriers to the International Space Station.
''We are thrilled to add Boeing to round out our extraordinary team,'' said Dr Chirinjeev Kathuria. ''This team brings together technical innovations leveraging more than 50 years of relevant experience using flight-qualified US-built space shuttle solid rocket motors, Athena launch vehicles, proven space vehicle technology and on-orbit operations.''
New Delhi-born Chirinjeev Kathuria has lived in Illinois since he was eight months old. He graduated as a valedictorian of Downers Grove North School, and holds a bachelor degree in science and was a doctor of medicine before starting out in business ventures. He is an MBA from Stanford University.
