WASHINGTON - NASA Exploration Systems Mission Directorate managers will host a media teleconference Tuesday, Feb. 19, to announce the names of one or more companies selected to develop and demonstrate commercial orbital transportation services.

The media teleconference will begin at 4 p.m. EST, originating from NASA Headquarters, Washington. Reporters should contact Beth Dickey at 202-358-2087, or Stephanie Schierholz at 202-358-4997, by 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, for dial-in information.

Doug Cooke, NASA deputy associate administrator for the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters, and Alan Lindenmoyer, manager of the Commercial Crew and Cargo Program at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, will lead the briefing.

The company or companies selected will enter into funded Space Act agreements with NASA under the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Project, known as COTS. The key objectives of the program are to facilitate U.S. private industry development of reliable, cost effective access to low Earth orbit and to create a market environment in which commercial space transportation services are available to government and private sector customers.

Live audio from the briefing will be available at:

http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio

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