PS is totally justified in their protest. The terms for the RFPs were clearly spelled out. All three competitors knew that. They tailor made their proposals and business plans to adhere to those requirements. In the end SpaceX scored first, PS second and Orbital third. The awards should have gone to SpaceX and PS. HOWEVER, it was the OPINION of Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for NASA's space operations, that took away PS's chance for part of the award.

If the rules are set up, played by and then thrown out by opinion at the end, then why even have the process if Bill Gerstenmaier is going to select the winners anyway? The answer is because it can't happen that way. Its not LEGAL.

Bringing that up is pretty much nonsense. SpaceX is all done in the US.

But SpaceX are probably still the best and cheapest option. And since they were first in the race anyway...

All this will do is delay and delay the shuttle replacement supply to ISS - as stated in the article.

And, SpaceX are entirely US based so that isn't an option for complaint unlike the tanker saga.