SpaceX to take astronauts to Space Station

SpaceX had been competing with United Launch Alliance, a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed that has previously had the monopoly on US military launches.

On Friday, NASA officially announced that is ordering a mission for SpaceX to fly astronauts to the global Space Station (ISS), expected to take place sometime in 2017.

"It's essential to get at least two healthy and strong abilities from USA businesses to deliver crew and essential scientific experiments from American land to the space station throughout its lifespan". Per contract from two to six missions are a must. Since its end, NASA has had to rely on Russian spacecrafts to take its astronauts to space. Such missions set the foundation for access to future commercial research platforms, as per Robinson.

"We are honored to be developing this capacity for NASA as well as our nation".

SpaceX also conducted a successful Pad Abort Test of the Crew Dragon on May 6, as I reported here. The flights are part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, which aims to co-operate with private American aerospace companies to "develop and operate a new generation of spacecraft and launch systems capable of carrying crews to low-Earth orbit and the global Space Station". Usually per mission four crew are present and 220 pounds of cargo material goes along with them on board the spacecraft. NASA now has two, crew mission orders, including one to competing provider Boeing. SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will be used for the mission and it will then stay at the ISS for seven months and return to earth.

The CCtCap contracts are managed by NASA's Commercial Crew Program and they will work with Boeing and SpaceX through the entire process to ensure the capsules meet NASA's safety requirements. Besides the crew launch, the company was recently awarded contracts to launch communication satellites in 2017 and 2018. The program, which lasted for more than 30 years and launched 135 flights, was extended far past its intended duration of 15 years. Congress has not yet decided on a final funding for level.

Dec 8: "America's Human Path Back to Space and Mars with Orion, Starliner and Dragon".

It remains to be seen which company will launch first. The Zinnias will grow for 60 days, which is twice as long as the first and second crop of Outredgeous red romaine lettuce that grew on the space station.