Congratulations to SpaceX on the successful conclusion of the first Dragon mission to the ISS June 4th, 2012 The Canadian Space Commerce Association (CSCA) applauds Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) on the successful conclusion of the first Dragon mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The mission, which ended with the successful splashdown of the Dragon spacecraft carrying over 1000 pounds of returning cargo from the ISS on May 31st, also marks the successful completion by SpaceX of the second round of the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) development and demonstration program. The way is now clear for SpaceX to begin commercial resupply services to the ISS. Given that the purpose of the COTS program is to develop and demonstrate commercial sources for cargo re-supply of the ISS using a fixed-price, milestone-based program with private sector cost sharing in order to protect taxpayer dollars and incentivize performance, the success of this mission should be applauded and studied by governments around the world interested in doing more with less. According to CSCA President Arny Sokoloff, the SpaceX mission “shows what innovative space companies can do given a progressive funding methodology focused on end results rather than on traditional cost-plus government micromanaged procurement.” The CSCA will be watching closely to see if the lessons learned by the SpaceX success will be embraced by others in Canada and around the world. About the Canadian Space Commerce Association: The Canadian Space Commerce Association (CSCA) is a registered not-for-profit industry organization existing to advance the economic, legal and political environment for space focused Canadian companies. For more information, please contact: Chuck Black – CSCA Treasurer 416-569-7697 or [email protected]