Astronauts now travel in Dragon – The Costa Rica Nation

Miami. AFP. The NASA formalized this week, a mission led by US private company SpaceX to send astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) from 2017, like its competitor Boeing.

“On Friday, NASA left behind an important stage in the expansion of research opportunities aboard the ISS with the first commission made the Californian group SpaceX to send astronauts into space from US soil, “the space agency said in a statement.

The Dragon V-2 SpaceX must, from the end of 2017, carry astronauts to the ISS as part of a $ 2,600 million contract signed with NASA in 2014.

Boeing was also chosen by the agency to offer this service with its capsule CST-100 Starliner, with a contract of $ 4,200 million.

NASA announced the corresponding mission to Boeing May and instruct the company four missions.

“The choice of the group will send a mission to the ISS will first be carried out later,” the statement said.

Boeing had previously assured that your private capsule would be the first dock with the ISS in 2017.

The missions will begin in late 2017, “provided that service providers provide the necessary preparations,” NASA said.

The company SpaceX was founded by billionaire Elon Musk, co-founder also of electric luxury cars Tesla and Paypal.

“When Dragon V-2 capsule carrying NASA astronauts to the international space station in 2017, the last ride aboard the safest and most reliable spacecraft ever flown, “said SpaceX president, Gwynne Shotwell, cited in the NASA press release.

SpaceX had suffered a serious setback on June 28 when his rocket Falcon 9 whose uninhabited Dragon capsule to the ISS was provisioned, he exploded shortly after takeoff.

United States ended its program of spacecraft in 2011. While waiting for the private sector using funding from NASA, develop the necessary vehicles to transport astronauts, depends entirely on Russian Soyuz capsules.

“It is important to have the robust capabilities and healthy at least two US groups to send astronauts and equipment “to the ISS, said a senior official of NASA, Kathy Lueders.