NASA Certifies SpaceX for Human Spaceflight

Today, NASA announced it has certified SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon human spaceflight system for crew missions to and from the International Space Station – the first commercial system in history to achieve such designation. Not since the certification of the space shuttle nearly 40 years ago has NASA certified a spacecraft, rocket, and ground support systems for regular flights with astronauts.

SpaceX put every component of every system through its paces, including two flight tests to and from the International Space Station, demonstrations of Dragon’s escape system both on the launch pad and in-flight, over 700 tests of the spacecraft's SuperDraco engines, more than 500 joint soft-capture docking tests to validate the performance of Dragon’s docking system design, about 8,000,000 hours of hardware in the loop software testing, and nearly 100 tests and flights of Dragon’s parachutes to ensure a safe landing back on Earth—in addition to all of the knowledge gained from twenty previous successful cargo resupply missions to the space station and over forty Falcon 9 block 5 launches.

SpaceX and NASA are targeting Saturday, November 14 at 7:49 p.m. EST for the launch of the first crew rotation mission (Crew-1) to the International Space Station as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program. The Crew-1 mission will launch NASA astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover, and Shannon Walker, along with Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) mission specialist Soichi Noguchi, from historic Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

NASA Certifies SpaceX for Human Spaceflight

Is the US finally going to be able to put their own astronauts into space again.

If all goes well the US will be back in the manned spaceflight business.

Our country needs to have this capability. I can't believe we have gone so long without being able put humans into space.

I hope all goes well with the launch Saturday night.

And that the program is continued to be funded.

I thought they already made a human flight to ISS......did that not happen?

www.cnet.com... -nasa-astronauts-to-iss/

a reply to: LookingAtMars

How sad is it that nasa hasn’t certified a ship for humans in forty years?

a reply to: pointr97

I thought they already made a human flight to ISS......did that not happen?

That was part of the certification process.

That is one of the test flights talked about in the OP quotes.

ETA- I do see why you say that.
I should of made it clear this was not the first manned flight.

Seems a little ridiculous to 'certify' something for human use that has already been used for human use....but that is just me.

a reply to: LookingAtMars

originally posted by: Bluntone22
a reply to: LookingAtMars

How sad is it that NASA hasn’t certified a ship for humans in forty years?

100% sad.

I sure hope there is a secret space program.

a reply to: LookingAtMars

Well, there you have it; a spaceship NOT developed by the government, which would have cost 80 bazillion dollars if it had been, instead developed by private industry. Successfully launched, tested and proven.

And just to think, "the People" have seemingly voted in one of the biggest bureaucrats in history to elected office!!

How ironic!!

Nice knowin' ya, SpaceX!!!

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

And it looked very cool inside the spacecraft.

Not the boring spaceship interiors you get from NASA.

I hope we can keep the manned spaceflight push going this time.

Actually advance the human race to a multi planet species.

There is a lot of money out there to be made.

Hopefully Musk is leading the way.

During the previous fight they had 2 astronauts and limited cargo - future flights can carry a full compliment of both.

This also means that Space X is certified to carry astronauts from other nations, so that would be another income source.

originally posted by: pointr97
Seems a little ridiculous to 'certify' something for human use that has already been used for human use....but that is just me.

Consider that a driver's license certifies you to operate an automobile. Presumably you practiced before getting your license.

Does it seem a little ridiculous to 'certify' someone for car-driving that has already driven a car?