Friday, August 3, 2018

NASA Selects SpaceX To Launch Astronauts Into Space By April Next Year

NASA says it will attempt to launch astronauts into space on a crewed SpaceX Dragon capsule by April 2019, as part of two different efforts to return the U.S. to space using its own spacecraft. According to NASA, its Commercial Crew Program is targeting a "demo" uncrewed flight by November of 2018 -- only 3 months away -- and a crewed mission by April of 2019. NASA is announcing the astronauts being selected for the launch, as well as an near identical launch by SpaceX competitor Boeing. According to NASA, the Commercial Crew Program will return human spaceflight launchts to U.S. soil. Currently, NASA is relying on Russia for its astronaut deliveries to the International Space Station. NASA is announcing the astronauts who will be assigned to four, commercial crew flights on both the SpaceX Crew Dragon and Boeing CST-100 Starliner this morning.