In that climate of uncertainty the U.S. Agency for International Development opted for a cost-plus, fixed-fee deal--a contract often used by governments to exert some control over costs and give the contractor incentive to engage in open-ended work.
The issue is now being studied at the ATV control room in Toulouse, France, and at prime contractor EADS Astrium's Functional Simulation Facility at Les Mureaux north west of Paris.