NASA wants to stop counting on the Russians
Since 2011, the year in which the Space Shuttle flew for the last time, the American astronauts use Russian space vehicles to reach the International Space Station (ISS). But NASA wants to change that and SpaceX is one of the companies that will help. In 2014, the United States government paid SpaceX $2.6 billion for a vehicle that could carry astronauts into orbit. The same agreement was made with Boeing but worth $4.2 billion. Since then, the launch dates for both projects have been postponed. However, we now have dates that are apparently definitive.
SpaceX will be ready by 2019
This Thursday, NASA announced that SpaceX’s Dragon capsule, created for the transportation of humans, will be ready in 2019. First, in November 2019, a test will be conducted without humans aboard and passed about 5 months, a similar test mission will be held but will be attended by astronauts. The Boeing CST-100 capsule will also perform similar tests. According to NASA are expected to be made at the end of 2019 or early 2019 and in the middle of 2019. If the manned tests are successfully performed, each of the capsules will undergo a NASA certification.
But there is a small problem
In July of this year, a report was released by a US agency responsible for overseeing state spending, which provides that SpaceX will complete the certification process only in February 2020. However, US astronauts use the Russian Soyuz capsule to reach the ISS and the contract ends in November 2019. Unless the whole process moves faster, NASA will have to find a solution to transport its astronauts to the SpaceX and Boeing capsules. So, what do you think about this? Simply share all your views and thoughts in the comment section below.
