The Next Step
Afiqah Abdul Hamid discusses the news that SpaceX have launched a mission to the ISS
An international crew of astronauts, SpaceX Crew-1, is on the journey to the International Space following a successful launch on the first NASA-certified commercial human spacecraft system history. The spacecraft took off at 7:27 p.m. EST on Sunday from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.
With NASA’s Commercial Crew program providing SpaceX with $3.1 billion, the company developed Crew Dragon spacecraft, improved Falcon 9 and planned launch of six missions.
This first mission is significant, as it is the first flight of the NASA-certified commercial system designed for crew transportation, the first international crew to launch on American commercial spacecraft and the first human orbital spaceflight launch licensed by Federal Aviation Administration. It is a fundamental achievement of NASA to launch and return humans to space and in a routine manner which is cost effective.
It is the first flight… designed for crew transportation
The crew will be staying for six months on the orbiting laboratory and due to return in the spring of 2021. The objective of the mission is to conduct studies which finding will help improve knowledge of human health and space science development.
This cost effective transportation, delivered by NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, was possible through the partnership with American private industry as it saved NASA about $20 to $30 billion. This partnership is changing spaceflight history by allowing more people to access low-Earth orbit and the International Space Station, which allows more scientific and commercial opportunities.
This partnership is changing spaceflight history
NASA’s Director of Commercial Spaceflight Development, Phil McAlister, stated his belief that NASA and SpaceX had managed to change the course of human space transportation.