Transformational Space Corp and PlanetSpace received a promise for continued consultations, advise, and feedback from NASA regarding their development of spacecraft capable of delivering cargo and crew to the International Space Station. The promise stems for the COTS (Commercial Orbital Transportation Services) competition previously sponsored by NASA. SpaceX and Rocketplane Kistler were awarded $500 million from that competition in order to pursue their own designs for spacecraft. The COTS competition will be re-opened in 2010, which may give Transformational Space Corp (t/Space) and PlanetSpace a chance to get contracts for re-supplying the space station. It is estimated that those contracts will be lucrative to the tune of several billion dollars.

It was a good year for the Earth's space programs. So good, that I jumped on the bandwagon. This article contains a lot of great information about the highlights of space exploration in 2006.

Here are a few of the big ones.
• Aceize is founded, 150 year business plan set in motion.
• Bigelow Aerospace launches their first inflatable module onboard a Russian SS-18 intercontinental ballistic missle
• Anousheh Ansari travels to space. The deal was brokers by Virginia Based 'Space Adventures'
• Several launch services promote international cooperation including; International Launch Services (a U.S.-Russian venture), and Europe’s Arianespace and United Launch Alliance.