NASA announces first Astronauts that will ride atop Boeing and SpaceX rockets

[mclumber1]

Quote

NASA has announced the names of the first astronauts who’ll fly to the International Space Station on American-made, commercial spacecraft.

 

The crews will fly to the space station on rockets built by NASA  commercial partners Boeing and SpaceX. “Today, our country’s dreams of greater achievements in space are within our grasp,” said NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine, in a statement. “Today’s announcement advances our great American vision and strengthens the nation’s leadership in space.”

 

Nine astronauts were selected to crew the first test flights and missions of Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner and SpaceX’s Crew Dragon. 

 

“The men and women we assign to these first flights are at the forefront of this exciting new time for human spaceflight,” said Mark Geyer, director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, in a statement.

 

After each company completes their crewed test flights successfully, NASA will start the process to finally certify the spacecraft and systems for regular crew missions to the space station.

 

So far, NASA has contracted for six missions with each company, with as many as four astronauts crewing each commercial spacecraft.

https://techcrunch.com/2018/08/03/nasa-names-first-astronauts-for-the-inaugural-commercial-flights-to-the-iss/

 

 

EDIT:  I should clarify the headline:  Boeing's capsule will be riding atop a ULA built Atlas 5 rocket.  Boeing is a co-owner with Lockheed-Martin of ULA, which manufactures both the Atlas 5 and Delta 4 launch vehicles.  SpaceX's capsule will be riding atop their own rocket, the reusable Falcon 9.  

[GeneticBlueprint]

[Jwheel86]

Who's covering the cost difference between the Atlas and Falcon boosters? 

[mclumber1]

10 minutes ago, Jwheel86 said:

Who's covering the cost difference between the Atlas and Falcon boosters? 

 

You are. 

 

I guess NASA is mandating that although SpaceX can recover and reuse the boosters assigned to these missions, they cannot be reused for these missions.  Each manned flight will be on top of a brand new booster.  SpaceX is free to reuse the landed boosters for commercial missions and (non-manned) government missions if the customer agrees. 

[GeneticBlueprint]

16 minutes ago, mclumber1 said:

I guess NASA is mandating that although SpaceX can recover and reuse the boosters assigned to these missions, they cannot be reused for these missions.  Each manned flight will be on top of a brand new booster.  SpaceX is free to reuse the landed boosters for commercial missions and (non-manned) government missions if the customer agrees. 

 

Probably a good call for now.

[Rodimus]

Finally NASA Astronauts will fly on American Rockets and not Pay Russia for a lift into Space.

[Jwheel86]

2 minutes ago, Rodimus said:

Finally NASA Astronauts will fly on American Rockets and not Pay Russia for a lift into Space.

Aren't the Atlas boosters Russian? 

[mclumber1]

46 minutes ago, Jwheel86 said:

Aren't the Atlas boosters Russian? 

 

The engines are.  MAGA

[darkness35]

Press F for Astronaut sacrifice.

[Jason]

SPACE FORCE!