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The US space agency NASA has given the green light to the first test flight of a new space capsule from the private company SpaceX for manned missions. As announced by NASA, the space capsule "Crew Dragon" of March 9 at the international launch of the ISS International Space Station – but still without astronauts on board. Only one life-sized doll will be on the test flight.
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With a Falcon 9 rocket, NASA wants to bring astronauts into space
However, NASA hopes to bring astronauts into space with a SpaceX missile for the first time this year. SpaceX has already repeatedly sent its space capsule "Dragon" to the ISS, but until now only with hardware. Astronauts are expected to board in July aboard a "Crew Dragon" capsule, which will be carried by a Falcon 9 rocket into space. Two astronauts must participate in the mission on the ISS.
The flight test with a Falcon 9 rocket is now scheduled for March 2, according to NASA. On March 3rd, the capsule must dock at the ISS and return to Earth on March 8th. "We are ready for takeoff, we are ready for mooring," said Bill Gerstenmaier, NASA's manned flight officer, at a press conference at the US Cape Canaveral Spaceport in Florida.
The US space shuttle program was interrupted in 2011. Since then, US astronauts have only been able to reach the ISS with Russian Soyuz rockets. The contract with Russia expires in November. Then SpaceX and Boeing will take over.
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