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This will not be SpaceX’s first human mission. NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley boarded the Crew Dragon spacecraft this summer, the Falcon 9 rocket took them into Earth orbit and eventually landed on the ISS.
After two months of living and working at the station, they boarded the Crew Dragon, crossed the atmosphere and safely parachuted back to our planet.
The rocket and the ship can be used multiple times
However, the entire mission was considered a test flight. On Tuesday, NASA announced that it has finally certified the entire SpaceX launch system for manned flights.
The decision was the result of a flight readiness check, during which NASA experts spent two days reviewing the Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon, SpaceX software and mission operations.
The certification took place a few days before the next scheduled launch of the astronauts, scheduled for Sunday evening.
The company has already deployed a new ship, the Crew Dragon, on the rocket. The return mission called Crew-1 is the first of six for which Musk’s company has signed a contract with NASA.
“People tend to think it’s just a spaceship, but it’s a spaceship, it’s a launch vehicle, all the processes they have to go through on earth, that’s how mission operations are done. All of which will carry our crew. safely to the ISS and back so it can be reused. “ Kathy Lueders, who leads NASA’s space flight program, said at a news conference.
The longest human flight in US history
Weather permitting, the Falcon 9 will take Crew Dragon into space at 1.49am Sunday morning. Astronauts Mike Hopkins, Victor Glover, Shannon Walker and Soichi Noguchi will be on board.
They are expected to dock at the space station eight and a half hours later, where they will remain for about six months, the longest human spaceflight in US history.
This is the first time NASA has certified a human flight system since the space program began nearly 40 years ago.
The US government has spent more than $ 6 billion on this effort. The program can finally reach its goal with the start on Saturday.
“Thanks to NASA for supporting SpaceX and our partnership in achieving this goal.” Musk said in a press release.
“I couldn’t be more proud of everyone at SpaceX and all of our suppliers who worked hard to develop, test and fly NASA’s first commercial space flight system in history. on the moon, travel to Mars and ultimately help humanity to become multiplanetary. “
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