[ad_1]
SpaceX is targeting 7 & # 39; January to launch & # 39; the first commercial ferry ship & # 39; Crew Dragon on a test flight not ippolotata to the International Space Station, NASA announced Wednesday, a milestone in the effort of & # 39; the agency to end its sole dependence on Russian Soyuz vessels astronauts to orbit.
If the shakedown flight goes smoothly – and if the security of NASA survey revealed Tuesday with no stop lights & # 39; the show – SpaceX can & # 39; be ready to launch the first pilot of & # 39; pilot crew located on rocket Falcon 9 at the time of & # 39; June, carrying NASA astronaut Robert Behnken and veterans Douglas Hurley to the space station.
Boeing is also building a spacecraft & # 39; commercial crew called CST-100 Starliner. The test flight is currently planned for March ippiljata – not announced a specific date – followed by pilot flight station at & # 39; August. Boeing will use the United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket to boost the spacecraft & # 39; & # 39 Starliner in; altrbita.
Both companies still face a variety of & # 39; technical barriers, and dates are attempts at best.
Boeing met & # 39; of & # 39 problems; propulsion in the & # 39 system abortion & # 39; Starliner and timetable after major tests while SpaceX facing "serious difficulties", according to the Advisory Panel & # 39; Aerospace NASA, including concerning tanks & # 39; helium & # 39; used in hypertension with Dragon Crew.
But officials & # 39; SpaceX saying the company going to launch in & # 39; January and processing hardware, the crew training and support preparations land is proceed as planned.
However, managers of NASA are hope or both companies will be certified to begin operating flights & # 39; crew rotation in & # 39; some next year, and ending the reliance Sokom agency on the Russian Soyuz, the only transport for astronauts American, European, Canadian and Japanese since the space shuttle retirement in 2011.
The Flight flight & # 39; not ippolotata crew to come in & # 39; in January, known as Demo 1 on the manifest & # 39; SpaceX, will launch from pad 39A at the historic Kennedy Space Center. Liftoff is expected around 11:57 p.m. EST (GMT-5) when the rotation of the Earth carries the pad into the plane & # 39; the orbit & # 39; station.
Once issued by the Falcon 9, the spacecraft is expected to conduct an independent conference with the International Space Station, surrounding by docking at the port of laboratory progress has been modified recently where shuttles off berth. After a short break, the capsule will empty and re & # 39; back to Earth with a Splashdown & # 39; the ocean.
Tuesday, The Washington Post reported that NASA is launching a major review of safety "cultures" in both Boeing and Space X. In a statement, NASA said the review is intended "to ensure that companies meet with NASA requirements for safety at work, including adherence to drug-free environment ".
"We strongly that our trading partners meet all the safety requirements of the job in the execution of our mission and the services they provide to the American people", the statement continued. "As always, the Nasa will make sure to do so."
The Post, citing sources, reported that the review was triggered in part by the recent behavior of & # 39; SpaceX founder Elon Musk "After he got hit & # 39; skimmed marijuana and whiskey on podcast broadcast over the internet."
Speaker & # 39; SpaceX told CBS News human empty space "is the main mission of our company" and "m & # 39; there is nothing more important to SpaceX from this effort."
"We take seriously the responsibility of NASA entrusted us to b & # 39; safe and reliable way bring American astronauts to and from the International Space Station", he said. "For years, our engineers have worked together with & # 39; NASA, and created a partnership with & # 39; robust and guide the development of & # 39; Crew Dragon, one of the space ship systems of man safe and most advanced ever built. "
He said the company actively promote safety at the workplace and managers are confident "that the force of our comprehensive work duty and work programs exceed all applicable contractual requirements . "
In turn, speaker & # 39; Boeing said the company culture "ensure the integrity, security and quality of our products, our people and their working environment . continue our legacy & # 39; trust, openness and success of the mission. "
The program & # 39; commercial crew grew from sponsored competition by NASA that began in 2011 and ended in & # 39; September 2014 when the agency announced Boeing and SpaceX was to divide $ 6.8 billion to develop space taxis independent, the first new vehicle & # 39; USA.
SpaceX is building the Dragon Crew under contract & # 39; $ 2.6 billion. SpaceX also holds contracts valued at NASA & # 39; more than $ 2 billion for 20 mission & # 39; load & # 39; space station using & # 39; Dragon capsules not ippiljati. subsequent contract for an unspecified amount covers six other flights & # 39; goods.
Boeing awarded contract & # 39; $ 4.2 billion for development Starliner CST-100. B & # 39; difference from Dragon & # 39; Crew, the Starliner will use parachutes and airbags for landing in the western United States.
Source link
