September 16, 2014 4:39 PM

SpaceX and Boeing win $6.8 billion NASA contract for taking astronauts to space station

Huge boost for company making investments in South Texas

Though it was not immediately clear how it will impact the SpaceX development planned for South Texas, the company on Tuesday was one of two firms awarded a contract by NASA to transport astronauts to and from the International Space Station. Boeing was the other company, which just yesterday was said to have defeated SpaceX for this contract. Turns out they both got it.

The contracts are worth a total of $6.8 billion. Boeing's share is $4.2 billion and SpaceX will receive $2.6 billion. SpaceX, of course, announced earlier this year it chose Brownsville as the future home of a commercial launch facility. The state pumped $15.3 million into that deal.