CEV competitors get extension

The contractor teams vying for the job of building the shuttles' successor have a little more time work with NASA on defining requirements and developing concepts for the crew exploration vehicle. The Phase 1 contract, as it's called, has been extended until Aug. 31. NASA said Monday it could opt to extend the contract until the end of October or the end of December.

The extension from March 31 to Aug. 31 is worth $17.5 million to each contractor. Additional two-month extensions would be worth $7 million apiece, making the total for each contractor $60 million.

The teams have already submitted initial spaceship proposals that they are refining to meet altered CEV requirements. One team is led by Lockheed Martin; the other, by Boeing and Northrop Grumman. NASA could announce the winner this fall, though it is aiming to make the announcement in August, spokesman Kelly Humphries said today.