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The SpaceX Crew Dragon “Resilience” spacecraft on the launch pad prior to the launch of Crew-1 for NASA.
SpaceX
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration announced Tuesday that it has certified SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule and Falcon 9 rocket to transport astronauts to and from orbit, the agency’s first certification of U.S. spacecraft from the space program shuttle nearly 40 years ago.
The certification marks a historic milestone for both NASA and Elon Musk’s space company. NASA, under the Commercial Crew program, has provided most of the funding used to develop Crew Dragon over the past six years and has conducted hundreds of tests.
“Thanks to NASA for their continued support of SpaceX and their collaboration in achieving this goal,” SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said in a statement. “I could not be prouder of everyone at SpaceX and all of our suppliers who have worked hard to develop, test and fly the first commercial human spaceflight system in history to be certified by NASA. This is a great honor that inspires confidence. in our attempt to return to the moon, travel to Mars and ultimately help humanity become multi-planetary. “
Since the space shuttle retired in 2011, the United States has paid Russia more than $ 80 million per seat to fly astronauts to the International Space Station. SpaceX certification ends this dependence on Russia and comes with an expected cost of approximately $ 55 million per astronaut. Additionally, as Boeing is also working to complete its Starliner capsule under the Commercial Crew program, NASA estimates that having two private companies competing for contracts has saved the agency between $ 20 and $ 30 billion in total. development costs.
“This certification milestone is an incredible achievement from NASA and SpaceX that highlights the progress we can make by working together with the commercial industry,” NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said in a statement.
Left to right, NASA astronauts Shannon Walker, Victor Glover, Mike Hopkins, and JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi.
NASA
NASA’s certification came after the agency and SpaceX completed reviews ahead of the Crew-1 mission, currently scheduled to launch Saturday from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission will see SpaceX’s rocket and spacecraft transport three NASA astronauts – Mike Hopkins, Victor Glover and Shannon Walker – as well as a Japanese astronaut – Soichi Noguchi – to the ISS, where they will spend six months conducting research and carrying out tasks.
“This is a very exciting day for those of us who have been looking forward to it for a long time,” NASA Human Space Flight Director Kathy Lueders told reporters after completing Crew-1 reviews.
The agency will also be able to increase its ongoing presence on the ISS to seven out of six astronauts, allowing more time to devote to scientific research and experimentation.
“NASA’s partnership with US private industry is changing the history of human spaceflight by opening up access to low Earth orbit and the International Space Station for more people, more science and more business opportunities,” he said. said NASA commercial space flight director Phil McAlister. “We are truly at the beginning of a new era of human space flight.”
Crew-1 arrives about five months after SpaceX successfully completed its Demo-2 flight, which carried NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley on the company’s first manned mission and the final Crew Dragon test flight. The Crew-1 mission includes additional milestones for SpaceX, as it marks the start of regular astronaut missions for the company. Between its Crew Dragon spacecraft and Cargo Dragon, SpaceX expects to have an ongoing presence in space moving forward.
“Starting with the CRS-21 cargo mission, every time we launch a dragon there will be two dragons in space, simultaneously, for long periods of time,” SpaceX senior director Benji Reed said Tuesday.
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