Bernie Roehl

 Since I wrote my earlier posts about human space flight, some people pointed out that my list of current and possible future spacecraft was incomplete.  Here's an updated version:

• Soyuz, designed by the Russian space agency and launched on their Soyuz launch vehicle
• Shenzhou, designed by China and launched on their Long March launch vehicle
• Orion designed by NASA, launching around 2015 (launch vehicle to be determined -- Ares V, Ares I, Jupiter 130, Delta IV Heavy...)
• Next-generation Soyuz designed by Russian space agency, launching on a  new launch vehicle around 2018
• OV designed by the Indian Space Research Organization, launching on a GSLV Mk IV in 2015
• Dragon designed by SpaceX corporation, launching on a Falcon 9, first unmanned flight in 2010
• Manned Cygnus designed by Orbital Sciences corportation, launching on a Taurus II, first unmanned flight in 2010
• CM-2 designed by Interorbital, launching on a Neptune 1000 in late 2011 (very optimistic date)
• CM-6 designed by Interorbital, launching on a Neptune 4000
• Orion Lite financed by Bigelow Aerospace, launching on an Atlas V around 2013
• TKS financed by Excalibur Almaz
• Gemini IR financed by AIO-50, launching on a Falcon 9 in 2012
• Manned version of the Japanese HTV cargo spacecraft, launched by JAXA on an HII-B
• Some sort of manned spacecraft from the government of Iran
• Manned version of the ATV cargo spacecraft launched by ESA  on an Ariane 5
• Dream Chaser spaceplane from SpaceDev, launched on an Atlas V
• Silver Dart designed by PlanetSpace
• CXV, designed by t/Space and air-launched(!)

That's eighteen altogether.  How many will actually fly remains to be seen, but it looks like we could be on the verge of another Space Age.