NASA Orders First Commercial Spacefliqht Mission

摘要

The first International Space Station (ISS) crews to be launched aboard commercial spacecraft likely will travel to orbit in late 2017, according to NASA officials. The agency reports that the Commercial Crew Program has met its milestones and ordered its first crew rotation mission from Boeing. SpaceX, the other firm selected to perform commercial crew launches, likely will receive its first order later this year. In this Commercial Crew Transportation Capability phase of the contract, mission orders are issued two to three years ahead of launches. During this time, each company must manufacture and assemble the launch vehicle and spacecraft. Each company also must complete the certification process successfully before NASA gives final flight approval.