Podcasts about nasa's commercial crew program

In a recent press conference, Boeing's Vice President and Starliner manager, Mark Nappi, announced a potential readiness of their spacecraft by early March. However, he emphasized that this doesn't guarantee a March launch. The forthcoming dates will be finalized in collaboration with NASA's Commercial Crew Program, the International Space Station (ISS), and United Launch Alliance (ULA). The Starliner was initially set for a July 21 launch, intending to transport NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry "Butch" Wilmore to the ISS. But an unexpected twist came weeks before the launch when Boeing declared an indefinite postponement, following the emergence of two significant safety challenges. Since these setbacks, both Boeing and NASA have reportedly rectified the capsule's safety issues. Steve Stich, the head of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, conveyed that multiple independent review layers have been established to address and overcome these complications. One of the major concerns was related to the load capacity of Starliner's trio of parachutes. Tests showed that their failure load limits were below expected, suggesting that if one parachute failed, the remaining duo might not slow the spacecraft adequately for its New Mexico landing.

In a recent press conference, Boeing's Vice President and Starliner manager, Mark Nappi, announced a potential readiness of their spacecraft by early March. However, he emphasized that this doesn't guarantee a March launch. The forthcoming dates will be finalized in collaboration with NASA's Commercial Crew Program, the International Space Station (ISS), and United Launch Alliance (ULA). The Starliner was initially set for a July 21 launch, intending to transport NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry "Butch" Wilmore to the ISS. But an unexpected twist came weeks before the launch when Boeing declared an indefinite postponement, following the emergence of two significant safety challenges. Since these setbacks, both Boeing and NASA have reportedly rectified the capsule's safety issues. Steve Stich, the head of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, conveyed that multiple independent review layers have been established to address and overcome these complications. One of the major concerns was related to the load capacity of Starliner's trio of parachutes. Tests showed that their failure load limits were below expected, suggesting that if one parachute failed, the remaining duo might not slow the spacecraft adequately for its New Mexico landing.

We're just a few weeks away for the Crew-7 mission, the seventh operational flight of a Crew Dragon spacecraft. SpaceX's Crew Dragon is a reusable spacecraft designed to transport astronauts to and from the International Space Station. It is part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, which aims to provide safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation to and from the ISS. Crew Dragon is capable of carrying up to seven astronauts and is equipped with advanced features such as touch screen controls, an environmental control and life support system, and a launch escape system. The spacecraft is launched atop a Falcon 9 rocket and returns to Earth by splashing down in the ocean. Since its first crewed flight in May 2020, Crew Dragon has successfully transported multiple crews to the ISS, including the upcoming Crew-7 mission. This mission will transport four astronauts to the International Space Station: Jasmin Moghbeli from NASA, Andreas Mogensen from ESA (European Space Agency), Satoshi Furukawa from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), and Konstantin Borisov from Roscosmos. The launch is currently targeted for August 17th and will take place at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In this episode I'm pleased to present my recent interview with Crew 7 pilot Andreas Mogensen. This will be his second trip to space, following his 10-day ISS mission in 2015 where he became the first Danish citizen in space. During the Crew-7 mission, Andreas will be responsible for the spacecraft's performance and systems, and will become the first European to serve as the pilot of a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. In addition, Andreas will take over as Station Commander of the ISS in September. In this interview, we will discuss Andreas' role in the Crew-7 mission, his passion for space exploration, and some of the experiments that he will conduct on board the International Space Station during the 6-month mission. For more info, visit Nasa.gov Esa.int ——————————————————————

On today's episode of WHAT THE TRUCK?!? Dooner is talking to NASA about its $425 million partnership with Boeing to build, test and fly a full-scale demonstrator aircraft and validate technologies aimed at lowering emissions.The University of Arkansas Sam M. Walton College of Business takes us inside the world of supply chain higher education as we meet the students and educators tasked with creating the next generation of supply chain leaders. You won't want to miss this if you're a student or are looking to get a master's in supply chain management!Plus, trucking moms; AI versus ATA; in-cab kitchens; cotton candy filled with narcotics; and the mystery of the stolen gorilla. With special guests Sarah Waechter, partner manager at NASA's Commercial Crew Program; Brent Cobleigh, chief of staff at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center; and Brian Fugate and David Dobrzykowski of the University of Arkansas. Visit our sponsorWatch on YouTubeSubscribe to the WTT newsletterApple PodcastsSpotifyMore FreightWaves Podcasts

On today's episode of WHAT THE TRUCK?!? Dooner is talking to NASA about its $425 million partnership with Boeing to build, test and fly a full-scale demonstrator aircraft and validate technologies aimed at lowering emissions.The University of Arkansas Sam M. Walton College of Business takes us inside the world of supply chain higher education as we meet the students and educators tasked with creating the next generation of supply chain leaders. You won't want to miss this if you're a student or are looking to get a master's in supply chain management!Plus, trucking moms; AI versus ATA; in-cab kitchens; cotton candy filled with narcotics; and the mystery of the stolen gorilla. With special guests Sarah Waechter, partner manager at NASA's Commercial Crew Program; Brent Cobleigh, chief of staff at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center; and Brian Fugate and David Dobrzykowski of the University of Arkansas. Visit our sponsorWatch on YouTubeSubscribe to the WTT newsletterApple PodcastsSpotifyMore FreightWaves Podcasts

The Crew-5 astronauts discuss their individual journeys that brought them together on the upcoming fifth crew rotation of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. HWHAP Episode 259.

The Crew-5 astronauts discuss their individual journeys that brought them together on the upcoming fifth crew rotation of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. HWHAP Episode 259.

The Crew-5 astronauts discuss their individual journeys that brought them together on the upcoming fifth crew rotation of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. HWHAP Episode 259.

The Crew-5 astronauts discuss their individual journeys that brought them together on the upcoming fifth crew rotation of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. HWHAP Episode 259.

Why do we judge each other so harshly for saying “like,” even though most of us say it way more often than we'd admit to? Plus, Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is launching mere hours after recording… probably. Here's everything you need to know about the second contender in NASA's Commercial Crew Program. And introducing Pepsi™-Roni Pizza.Sponsors:Shopify, Get a 14-day free trial at shopify.com/kottkeI Am Bio, Subscribe at bio.org/podcastLinks:Why do people, like, say, 'like' so much? (The Guardian)Boeing Is Ready to Launch Starliner, a Rival to SpaceX's Dragon (Wired)What You Need to Know about NASA's Boeing Orbital Flight Test-2 (NASA)How to Watch Boeing Launch Its Beleaguered Astronaut Capsule to the ISS (Gizmodo)Boeing Starliner OFT-2 Launch (Official NASA Broadcast) (NASA, YouTube)Landmark Mars robot will run out of power, ending historic mission (Mashable)NASA's InSight Still Hunting Marsquakes as Power Levels Diminish (NASA)Just When We Settled Our Differences About Pineapple on Pizza, Pepsi Entered the Chat With Pepsi-Roni (The Mary Sue)Finally, a New Pepsi Flavor We Can Get Behind (The Takeout)Pepsi™-Roni Pizza in NYC (Pepsi, Eventbrite)Jackson Bird on TwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Photo:  HAWTHORNE, Calif. - SpaceX CEO and founder Elon Musk unveils the Dragon V2 during a ceremony for the new spacecraft inside SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, Calif. The spacecraft is designed to carry people into Earth's orbit and was developed in partnership with NASA's Commercial Crew Program under the Commercial Crew Integrated Capability agreement. SpaceX is one of NASA's commercial partners working to develop a new generation of U.S. spacecraft and rockets capable of transporting humans to and from Earth's orbit from American soil. Ultimately, NASA intends to use such commercial systems to fly U.S. astronauts to and from the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis KSC-2014-2727 #SpaceX: Musk bets the house repeatedly. John Tamny @johntamny , Real Clear Markets; and director, Center for Economic Freedom; and Toreador Research & Trading; Forbes; author, The End of Work: Why Your Passion Can Become Your Job.  https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-elon-musk-made-us-all-richer-virtual-banking-peter-thiel-paypal-wealth-billionaire-millionaire-investments-cash-online-11651696244

Photo:   VAN HORN, Texas – The sun sets over a test stand at Blue Origin's West Texas facility. The company used this test stand to fire its powerful new hydrogen- and oxygen-fueled American rocket engine, the BE-3, on Nov. 20. The BE-3 fired at full power for more than two minutes to simulate a launch, then paused for about four minutes, mimicking a coast through space before it re-ignited for a brief final burn. The last phase of the test covered the work the engine could perform in landing the booster back softly on Earth. Blue Origin, a partner of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, or CCP, is developing its Orbital Launch Vehicle, which could eventually be used to launch the company's Space Vehicle into orbit to transport crew and cargo to low-Earth orbit. CCP is aiding in the innovation and development of American-led commercial capabilities for crew transportation and rescue services to and from the station and other low-Earth orbit destinations by the end of 2017. For information about CCP, visit www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew. Photo credit: NASA/Lauren Harnett KSC-2013-4197 CBS Eye on the World with John Batchelor CBS Audio Network @Batchelorshow Blue Origin grows.  Bob Zimmerman BehindtheBlack.com.  RV. https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/blue-origin-expands-its-rocket-engine-factory-in-alabama/

The Crew-3 astronauts discuss their individual paths that brought them together on the third crew rotation mission of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. HWHAP Episode 219.

The Crew-3 astronauts discuss their individual paths that brought them together on the third crew rotation mission of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. HWHAP Episode 219.

The Crew-3 astronauts discuss their individual paths that brought them together on the third crew rotation mission of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. HWHAP Episode 219.

The Crew-3 astronauts discuss their individual paths that brought them together on the third crew rotation mission of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. HWHAP Episode 219.

Photo: Boeing's new spacesuit designed to be worn by astronauts flying on the CST-100 Starliner. Seen here being worn in the same manner as it will on launch day for the walk to the spacecraft at Space Launch Complex 41, the suit is lighter and more flexible than previous spacesuits but retains the ability to pressurize in an emergency. Astronauts will wear the suit throughout the launch and ascent into orbit as well as on the way back to Earth. Starliners will launch atop Atlas V rockets from United Launch Alliance on missions including flights to the International Space Station for NASA's Commercial Crew Program. Photo credit: NASA/Cory Huston. CBS Eyes on the World with John Batchelor CBS Audio Network @Batchelorshow Starliner down. Bob Zimmerman BehindtheBlack.com https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/starliner-launch-scrubbed-rescheduled-for-tomorrow/

Subscribe to the YouTube Channel here - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCggl8-aPBDo7wXJQ43TiluA Join the Episode after party on Discord! Link: https://discord.gg/ZzJSrGP SpaceX Crew Dragon rolls out to pad for Crew-1 astronaut launch for NASA Link: https://www.space.com/spacex-crew-1-dragon-capsule-rocket-rolls-out The SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule that will carry four astronauts to the International Space Station this weekend has made it to the launch pad. The capsule, named Resilience, and its SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket rolled out to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida late Monday into early Tuesday (Nov. 9-10), NASA officials said. The Falcon 9 is scheduled to launch Saturday evening (Nov. 14), sending four astronauts — NASA's Victor Glover, Mike Hopkins and Shannon Walker and Japan's Soichi Noguchi — to the orbiting lab on Crew-1, SpaceX's first operational astronaut mission for NASA. NASA's Commercial Crew Program awarded SpaceX a $2.6 billion contract in 2014 to fly at least six operational crewed missions to the space station. The six-month-long Crew-1 is the first of those contracted flights, but it won't be SpaceX's first-ever astronaut mission. That distinction goes to Demo-2, a test flight that sent NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the station for two months this past summer. SpaceX Kicks-Off Assembly on First Super Heavy Starship Booster in South Texas SpaceX's Super Heavy might be effectively complete in one month, and we couldn't be more excited. Link: https://interestingengineering.com/spacex-kicks-off-assembly-on-first-super-heavy-starship-booster-in-south-texas SpaceX kicks-off Starship Super Heavy assembly in South Texas Technically, SpaceX could build much smaller booster prototypes for the initial test flights into orbit — this might be done via modifying the tank design of Starship — but rocketry isn't an exceedingly modular enterprise, Teslarati reports. However, whether the move comes via confidence or contingency, SpaceX is jumping directly into Starship prototype development, toward a full-scale Super Heavy booster production and testing platform. Super Heavy could be one of SpaceX's easiest projects Indeed, in an inversion of the typical relationship, the next-gen rocket's booster will probably be much simpler than the upper stage — which would be the largest spacecraft with reusable parts and upper stage in the world. Lacking a need for a tiled heat shield, aerodynamic control surfaces (discounting Falcon-style grid fins), a conical nose, and possibly even internal header tanks, the only serious challenge Super Heavy faces for the first time is developing an engine section capable of feeding and supporting up to 28 Raptor engines. Jim Bridenstine will step aside as NASA chief when President-elect Biden takes over: report Link: https://www.space.com/nasa-chief-bridenstine-step-aside-president-biden NASA will apparently be getting a new leader after president-elect Joe Biden is sworn in. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine won't remain in the agency's lead role in the Biden administration even if asked, Aerospace Daily & Defense Report reported on Sunday (Nov. 8). "You need somebody who has a close relationship with the president of the U.S. ... somebody trusted by the administration …. including OMB [Office of Management and Budget], National Space Council, National Security Council," Bridenstine told Irene Klotz, space editor for Aviation Week, Aerospace Daily & Defense Report's parent publication. "I think I would not be the right person for that in a new administration." "There is a political agreement that America needs to do big things in space exploration, that we need to lead the world ... There have been lessons learned from the past, and I think Congress is in a good position to make sure that we have sustainable programs going forward," he said in one of the tweeted snippets. And in another one, he stressed that "there are a lot of people that can do great work as the NASA administrator." This Bacterium Survived on The Outside of The Space Station For a Whole Damn Year Link: https://www.sciencealert.com/this-bacterium-survived-on-the-outside-of-the-space-station-for-a-year A year in space is no walk in the park. Just ask Scott Kelly, the American astronaut who spent a year on the International Space Station (ISS) in 2015. His long-term stay in space changed his DNA, telomeres, and gut microbiome, he lost bone density, and he still had sore feet three months later. So, it's quite a feat that a species of bacterium first found in a can of meat, Deinococcus radiodurans, was still alive and kicking after a year spent living on a specially designed platform outside the pressurised module of the ISS. Researchers have been investigating these mighty microbes for a while; back in 2015, an international team set up the Tanpopo mission on the outside of the Japanese Experimental Module Kibo, to put hardy bacterial species to the test. Now, D. radiodurans has passed with flying colours. This isn't the longest time D. radiodurans has been kept in these conditions – back in August we wrote about a sample of the bacterium being left up there for three whole years. But the team weren't trying for a world record, instead they were trying to uncover what makes D. radiodurans just so good at surviving in these extreme conditions. So, after a year of radiation, freezing and boiling temperatures, and no gravity, the researchers got the spacefaring bacteria back down to Earth, rehydrated both a control that had spent the year on Earth and the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) sample, and compared their results. The survival rate was a lot lower for the LEO bacteria compared to the control version, but the bacteria that did survive seemed to be doing okay, even if they had turned a little different to their Earth-bound brethren. Show Stuff Join the episode after party on Discord! Link: https://discord.gg/ZzJSrGP The Dark Horde Podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/show/the-dark-horde The Dark Horde, LLC – http://www.thedarkhorde.com Twitter @DarkHorde or https://twitter.com/HordeDark Support the podcast and shop @ http://shopthedarkhorde.com UBR Truth Seekers Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/216706068856746 UFO Buster Radio: https://www.facebook.com/UFOBusterRadio YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCggl8-aPBDo7wXJQ43TiluA To contact Manny: manny@ufobusterradio.com, or on Twitter @ufobusterradio Call the show anytime at (972) 290-1329 and leave us a message with your point of view, UFO sighting, and ghostly experiences or join the discussion on www.ufobusterradio.com Mail can be sent to: UFO Buster Radio Network PO BOX 769905 San Antonio TX 78245 For Skype Users: bosscrawler

Subscribe to the YouTube Channel here - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCggl8-aPBDo7wXJQ43TiluA Join the Episode after party on Discord! Link: https://discord.gg/ZzJSrGP SpaceX Crew Dragon rolls out to pad for Crew-1 astronaut launch for NASA Link: https://www.space.com/spacex-crew-1-dragon-capsule-rocket-rolls-out The SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule that will carry four astronauts to the International Space Station this weekend has made it to the launch pad. The capsule, named Resilience, and its SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket rolled out to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida late Monday into early Tuesday (Nov. 9-10), NASA officials said. The Falcon 9 is scheduled to launch Saturday evening (Nov. 14), sending four astronauts — NASA's Victor Glover, Mike Hopkins and Shannon Walker and Japan's Soichi Noguchi — to the orbiting lab on Crew-1, SpaceX's first operational astronaut mission for NASA. NASA's Commercial Crew Program awarded SpaceX a $2.6 billion contract in 2014 to fly at least six operational crewed missions to the space station. The six-month-long Crew-1 is the first of those contracted flights, but it won't be SpaceX's first-ever astronaut mission. That distinction goes to Demo-2, a test flight that sent NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the station for two months this past summer. SpaceX Kicks-Off Assembly on First Super Heavy Starship Booster in South Texas SpaceX's Super Heavy might be effectively complete in one month, and we couldn't be more excited. Link: https://interestingengineering.com/spacex-kicks-off-assembly-on-first-super-heavy-starship-booster-in-south-texas SpaceX kicks-off Starship Super Heavy assembly in South Texas Technically, SpaceX could build much smaller booster prototypes for the initial test flights into orbit — this might be done via modifying the tank design of Starship — but rocketry isn't an exceedingly modular enterprise, Teslarati reports. However, whether the move comes via confidence or contingency, SpaceX is jumping directly into Starship prototype development, toward a full-scale Super Heavy booster production and testing platform. Super Heavy could be one of SpaceX's easiest projects Indeed, in an inversion of the typical relationship, the next-gen rocket's booster will probably be much simpler than the upper stage — which would be the largest spacecraft with reusable parts and upper stage in the world. Lacking a need for a tiled heat shield, aerodynamic control surfaces (discounting Falcon-style grid fins), a conical nose, and possibly even internal header tanks, the only serious challenge Super Heavy faces for the first time is developing an engine section capable of feeding and supporting up to 28 Raptor engines. Jim Bridenstine will step aside as NASA chief when President-elect Biden takes over: report Link: https://www.space.com/nasa-chief-bridenstine-step-aside-president-biden NASA will apparently be getting a new leader after president-elect Joe Biden is sworn in. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine won't remain in the agency's lead role in the Biden administration even if asked, Aerospace Daily & Defense Report reported on Sunday (Nov. 8). "You need somebody who has a close relationship with the president of the U.S. ... somebody trusted by the administration …. including OMB [Office of Management and Budget], National Space Council, National Security Council," Bridenstine told Irene Klotz, space editor for Aviation Week, Aerospace Daily & Defense Report's parent publication. "I think I would not be the right person for that in a new administration." "There is a political agreement that America needs to do big things in space exploration, that we need to lead the world ... There have been lessons learned from the past, and I think Congress is in a good position to make sure that we have sustainable programs going forward," he said in one of the tweeted snippets. And in another one, he stressed that "there are a lot of people that can do great work as the NASA administrator." This Bacterium Survived on The Outside of The Space Station For a Whole Damn Year Link: https://www.sciencealert.com/this-bacterium-survived-on-the-outside-of-the-space-station-for-a-year A year in space is no walk in the park. Just ask Scott Kelly, the American astronaut who spent a year on the International Space Station (ISS) in 2015. His long-term stay in space changed his DNA, telomeres, and gut microbiome, he lost bone density, and he still had sore feet three months later. So, it's quite a feat that a species of bacterium first found in a can of meat, Deinococcus radiodurans, was still alive and kicking after a year spent living on a specially designed platform outside the pressurised module of the ISS. Researchers have been investigating these mighty microbes for a while; back in 2015, an international team set up the Tanpopo mission on the outside of the Japanese Experimental Module Kibo, to put hardy bacterial species to the test. Now, D. radiodurans has passed with flying colours. This isn't the longest time D. radiodurans has been kept in these conditions – back in August we wrote about a sample of the bacterium being left up there for three whole years. But the team weren't trying for a world record, instead they were trying to uncover what makes D. radiodurans just so good at surviving in these extreme conditions. So, after a year of radiation, freezing and boiling temperatures, and no gravity, the researchers got the spacefaring bacteria back down to Earth, rehydrated both a control that had spent the year on Earth and the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) sample, and compared their results. The survival rate was a lot lower for the LEO bacteria compared to the control version, but the bacteria that did survive seemed to be doing okay, even if they had turned a little different to their Earth-bound brethren. Show Stuff Join the episode after party on Discord! Link: https://discord.gg/ZzJSrGP The Dark Horde Podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/show/the-dark-horde The Dark Horde, LLC – http://www.thedarkhorde.com Twitter @DarkHorde or https://twitter.com/HordeDark Support the podcast and shop @ http://shopthedarkhorde.com UBR Truth Seekers Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/216706068856746 UFO Buster Radio: https://www.facebook.com/UFOBusterRadio YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCggl8-aPBDo7wXJQ43TiluA To contact Manny: manny@ufobusterradio.com, or on Twitter @ufobusterradio Call the show anytime at (972) 290-1329 and leave us a message with your point of view, UFO sighting, and ghostly experiences or join the discussion on www.ufobusterradio.com Mail can be sent to: UFO Buster Radio Network PO BOX 769905 San Antonio TX 78245 For Skype Users: bosscrawler

Narrative and story have always been a powerful part of Paul Wizikowski's life. Since discovering in elementary school theatre how people can be transported and connected through impactful moments, he has made it his mission to create, capture, and share those tales. Currently, in his position as Video Production Advisor to the NASA Administrator, Paul has been consistently tasked with telling some of this nation's most hopeful and awe-inspiring stories. Most recently, he led the team responsible for Launch America. As NASA ushered in a new era of human spaceflight, American astronauts once again launched on an American rocket from American soil to the International Space Station as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program and Paul and his team shared the launch with millions. We sat down with him to talk about connecting the dots, flying planes, and how to successfully launch 9' dinosaurs into space. Curiously Creative WE ARE NASA- Narrated by Mike Rowe WE ARE GOING- Narrated by William Shatner WE GO, TOGETHER WE GO: THE ARTEMIS GENERATION SPACE IS HARD DREAMED OF THIS– Led by NASA astronaut Nicole Mann HOW WE ARE GOING TO THE MOON- Narrated by Kelly Marie Tran (Star Wars) NASA's SpaceX Demo-2 Launch Broadcast Please remember to rate, review & subscribe! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/casuallycrtve/message

In this episode we go behind the scenes of Boeing's Starliner CST-100 Orbital Flight Test. As you may know, this was a milestone launch for NASA's Commercial Crew Program. Boeing had previously conducted a successful pad abort test for Starliner in early November 2019. This orbital flight test, on December 20, 2019, was successful in... The post 104. BEHIND THE SCENES: Boeing Starliner CST-100 Orbital Flight Test appeared first on 15 Minutes With Chuck - podcast.

Jon Cowart, a veteran space engineer, discusses NASA's Commercial Crew Program and progress toward launching astronauts from American soil.

Jon Cowart, a veteran space engineer, discusses NASA's Commercial Crew Program and progress toward launching astronauts from American soil.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has announced that two spacecraft will be launched from the United States for the first time in seven years. In 2011, NASA retired its space shuttles, citing costs and aging spacecraft as the main reasons. Since then, American astronauts have been sent to space on board the Russian Soyuz /SAW-yooz/ spacecraft, where an individual seat costs over $80 million. The two spacecraft, the CST-100 Starliner and Crew Dragon, were developed by private companies Boeing and SpaceX, respectively. In 2012, Crew Dragon became the first spacecraft made by a private organization to bring cargo to the International Space Station. SpaceX upgraded it, so it now includes an advanced emergency escape system that can carry astronauts to safety. The Boeing Starliner, on the other hand, has similarities with the famous Apollo spacecraft but with enhanced features. It can be docked autonomously, requiring less training for astronauts. The first nine astronauts to fly on the spacecraft have been named, and they consist of both seasoned astronauts and novices. This launch is part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, which involved American aerospace companies in creating spacecraft and launch systems. Boeing and SpaceX won the contract back in 2014, and both split the $6.8 billion grant. Both Boeing Starliner and SpaceX Crew Dragon will be launched in 2019 from Florida, not from Kazakhstan where the Russian Soyuz spacecraft launches. NASA expressed excitement, saying that the launch will be historic because it involves commercial partners. This milestone can also end America's dependency on Russia for spaceflight.