Source: CCTV Finance
On the 13th local time, NASA held a press conference at the Kennedy Space Launch Center. said that it has completed the certification work for the US Space Exploration Technology Company, which is SpaceX’s manned spacecraft , static ignition The test has also been completed and will be launched on the evening of the 15th local time, which is Beijing time next Monday. This is the first time that NASA has certified a manned spacecraft for a private enterprise.
It is understood that there are a total of four astronauts on this mission, three astronauts from the United States and one Japanese astronaut. They plan to lift off from the Kennedy Space Center on the evening of the 15th, Eastern Time. , Is expected to arrive at the International Space Station in 8 hours, after which the four astronauts will stay on the space station for 6 months.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Director Jim Bridenstine: This is our first commercial launch, a manned spacecraft licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration, after entering space, in this first flight, four people Astronauts will have many discoveries that will surprise us in the next six months.
Elon Musk, CEO of the US Space Exploration Technology Corporation, said on social media on the 13th local time that he had undergone 4 new coronavirus tests in a day, and the test results were negative twice and positive twice. In this regard, the Director of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration said that to enter the launch center must be tested. He is not sure if Musk has contact with astronauts, but the astronauts are undergoing routine tests, so the possibility of contracting the virus is unlikely. .
Previously, due to official safety certifications, it means that the "Dragon" spacecraft and the "Falcon 9" carrier rocket can begin regular transportation of personnel and materials for the International Space Station. In the next 14 months, Space Exploration Technology Corporation plans to launch 4 "Dragon" spacecraft to transport astronauts to the International Space Station, and 3 more supplies.
About ten years ago, in 2011, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, which is NASA’s last manned spacecraft, officially retired. In order to get rid of dependence on foreign rockets, NASA signed contracts with Space Exploration Technologies and Boeing in 2014. Jointly develop manned spacecraft. The data shows that the cost of renting a Russian spacecraft to transport an astronaut is about US$80 million, while the cost of transporting it through a space exploration technology company can be reduced to US$55 million. Coupled with the related projects that Boeing is advancing, it is estimated that the two companies can save NASA 20 to 30 billion U.S. dollars in research and development costs for manned spacecraft.
