NASA’s Commercial Crew Program Target Flight Dates

*NASA and Boeing provided updates on Oct. 11, 2019. For the details on Boeing flight tests and the schedule, visit https://go.nasa.gov/328xeSL.

The next generation of American spacecraft and rockets that will launch astronauts to the International Space Station are nearing the final stages of development and evaluation. NASA’s Commercial Crew Program will return human spaceflight launches to U.S. soil, providing reliable and cost-effective access to low-Earth orbit on systems that meet our safety and mission requirements. To meet NASA’s requirements, the commercial providers must demonstrate that their systems are ready to begin regular flights to the space station. Two of those demonstrations are uncrewed flight tests, known as Orbital Flight Test for Boeing, and Demonstration Mission 1 for SpaceX. After the uncrewed flight tests, both companies will execute a flight test with crew prior to being certified by NASA for crew rotation mission. The following schedule reflects the most recent publicly-releasable dates for both providers.

Targeted Test Flight Dates:
Boeing Orbital Flight Test: June 2018
Boeing Crew Flight Test: August 2018
SpaceX Demonstration Mission 1: February 2018
SpaceX Demonstration Mission 2 (crewed): June 2018

Seeking Sky Walkers

Seeking Sky Walkers

 

Have you ever wanted to explore to a galaxy far, far away? Is the Force strong in you? NASA seeks sky walkers to join the astronaut alliance. Learn more, at www.nasa.gov/astronauts.

 

Getting to Know Our Crew

Our astronauts had the chance to share the path forward for Commercial Crew and why they are excited to train and ultimately fly to the International Space Station aboard Boeing’s
CST-100 and SpaceX’s Crew Dragon. Behnken Hurley Williams

Celebrate the Fourth of July with Commercial Crew

4th

Celebrate Fourth of July with Commercial Crew by coloring our newest coloring sheet. You can download the sheet, at go.nasa.gov/1Hy6H2U. 

NASAinNOLAAlso, don’t forget to check out the NASA exhibits at Essence Fest and the Audubon Institute’s Aquarium if you are in New Orleans this weekend.

 

Budding Engineers Build Spacecraft

0608151505“Sometimes when you are an engineer, you have to get it wrong, before you can get it right,” said Rebecca Regan, an employee at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

Yesterday, Regan taught 17 elementary school students at Kennedy’s Child Development Center about the Commercial Crew Program and the need to have American-made spacecraft and rocket systems to carry people to and from space. After the lesson, each student built their own spacecraft out of cardboard boxes and art supplies.

Take a look at the designs these budding engineers created.

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Want to build your own spacecraft this summer? We used the following supplies:

  • Cardboard box
  • Disposable plates (for portholes)
  • Pictures (to place on the portholes)
  • Plastic cups (to make rocket engines)
  • Foil (to cover the cups)
  • Tissue Paper – red, orange and yellow (to make fire for the engines)
  • Construction Paper (for decorating)
  • Stencils (for decorating)
  • Pencil (for a steering wheel)
  • Tape
  • Glue
  • Scissors
  • NASA and Commercial Crew Program logos