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NASA Unveils the Astronauts Who Will Relaunch Human Space Flights From US Soil (washingtonpost.com)

Posted by msmash on from the marching-forward dept.

NASA on Friday announced the crews of the first flights from U.S. soil since the space shuttle retired in 2011, an elite group of astronauts that the agency hopes will help open a new era of space travel. From a report: The crews would fly on spacecraft developed not by NASA but by two corporations, SpaceX and Boeing, which are under contract to provide a taxi-like service to the International Space Station. On the first human test flight of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, NASA selected astronauts Eric Boe and Nicole Mann will join Boeing executive Chris Ferguson. NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley would fly on the first human test flight of SpaceX's Dragon capsule. On the first operational mission to the International Space Station, Sunita Williams and Josh Cassada would fly for Boeing. NASA astronauts Victor Glover and Michael Hopkins would fly Dragon's first operational mission to the space station.

9 of 54 comments (clear)

  1. Interesting looking spacesuits by oldgraybeard · · Score: 2

    I wonder if they are real or just photo shoot mock ups. Since I thought I read something a while back about the design for new space suits running over budget and years behind.

    Just my 2 cents ;)

    1. Re:Interesting looking spacesuits by Strider- · · Score: 3, Informative

      The SpaceX ones, at least, have been through the vacuum chamber testing etc... and the one that was flown on the Falcon Heavy Test Flight, sitting in the roadster, was real as well (though I don't know if it was actually pressurized).

      --
      ...si hoc legere nimium eruditionis habes...
    2. Re:Interesting looking spacesuits by bobbied · · Score: 2

      I wonder if they are real or just photo shoot mock ups. Since I thought I read something a while back about the design for new space suits running over budget and years behind.

      Well, there are always the existing stock of space suits to use for now. Shouldn't take too long to build a few more of those if necessary as the specifications blue prints and tooling likely still exist.

      Of course they are heavy, bulky and getting old, but they still work.

      --
      "File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
    3. Re:Interesting looking spacesuits by Bruce+Perens · · Score: 2

      The SpaceX suits aren't planetary (or lunar) surface suits. That's what needs development. Although this is not and never would be, a significant blocker for a planetary or lunar mission. It's just an engineering problem.

      --
      Bruce Perens.
    4. Re: Interesting looking spacesuits by Bruce+Perens · · Score: 2

      Nothing except the fact that you eat a few mSv a day in a "spaceship"

      I have several times walked up to a pile of radioactive material that was actually glowing with Cherenkov radiation bright enough to see in daylight. The reason this wasn't scary? It was in a pool of water perhaps 20 feet deep. Engineering problem solved.

      --
      Bruce Perens.
  2. I don't know guys by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Starliner sounds like luxury. Champagne, caviar, fine food.....

    Dragon Capsule sounds of fire and death.

    Maybe it's just me....I've watched too much Game of Thrones.

  3. "Taxi like" by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 2

    >> under contract to provide a taxi-like service to the International Space Station

    So...they charge by the mile? Dodge municipal "rocket for hire" laws? Attach a stupid moustache to the front?

    In other words, how exactly is this a "taxi-like"?

    1. Re:"Taxi like" by CaptainDork · · Score: 2

      It's going to be a ride-hail business model.

      Be sure to get the app, Space Force iCadet.

      ISS is on the move, so mileage may vary.

      --
      It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
  4. Re:What's the purpose of NASA? by Bruce+Perens · · Score: 3, Informative

    NASA needs to operate more like the FAA, be a regulatory service for keeping everyone safe and managing "air space". (Or, would that be "space space"?)

    Do you know who does it now? The FAA. They license launches. They should keep doing so. NASA is a research organization.

    President Trump made an announcement to investigate the creation of a military space force, which if created makes many missions from NASA redundant.

    Do you know who does military space missions now? The Air Force. Not NASA, NASA is a civilian research organization. Creating a "space wing" takes a department of the Air Force and makes it a separate service. Just as the AAF, the Army Air Force, became the Air Force. Creating a "Space Force" does nothing to or about NASA's mission.

    --
    Bruce Perens.