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NASA’s Commercial Crew Program is working with the American aerospace industry as companies develop and operate a new generation of spacecraft and launch systems capable of carrying crews to low-Earth orbit and the International Space Station. Commercial transportation to and from the station will provide expanded utility, additional research time and broader opportunities for discovery on the orbiting laboratory.
The station is a critical testbed for NASA to understand and overcome the challenges of long-duration spaceflight. As commercial companies focus on providing human transportation services to and from low-Earth orbit, NASA is freed up to focus on building spacecraft and rockets for deep space missions.
The Commercial Crew Program represents a revolutionary approach to government and commercial collaborations for the advancement of space exploration. To learn more, click
HERE.
NASA's Prior Approach for Obtaining Crew Transportation Systems:
Since the Mercury program in the early 1960s, NASA has used an almost identical operating model to achieve its goals of human spaceflight. This includes the Space Shuttle Program and the American portions of the International Space Station. NASA would identify a need for a crew transportation system and then the agency's engineers and specialists would oversee every development aspect of the spacecraft, support systems and operations plans. A commercial, aerospace contractor would be chosen to build the system, ensuring that it meets the specifications spelled out by NASA. Personnel from NASA would be heavily involved and oversee the processing, testing, launching and operation of the crew system to ensure safety and reliability. All of the hardware and infrastructure would be owned by NASA.
Commercial Crew's Approach for Obtaining Crew Transportation Systems:
NASA identified a need for a crew transportation system and a broad set of requirements that would be necessary to ensure crew safety. In the case of commercial crew, the need centered around a safe, reliable and cost-effective means of getting humans to low-Earth orbit, including the International Space Station, and return safely to Earth. Interested companies are free to design in a way they think is best and are encouraged to apply their most efficient and effective manufacturing and business operating techniques. The companies own and operate their hardware and infrastructure. NASA's engineers and aerospace specialists work closely with the commercial companies, allowing for substantial insight into the development process and offering up expertise and available resources.
The Commercial Crew Program is the first time this model has been implemented.
For more, click HERE.
Images below link to the astronaut's official bio
SpaceX Demo-2
Boeing Starliner-1
Boeing Crew Flight Test
Boeing Crew Flight Test
SpaceX Crew-1
SpaceX Crew-1
SpaceX Demo-2
Boeing Crew Flight Test
SpaceX Crew-1
SpaceX Crew-1
Boeing Starliner-1
To download this video click
HERE.
In January, 2019, NASA announced that astronaut Mike Fincke would replace Eric Boe for Boeing's Crew Flight Test.
Behind every triumph of space exploration are thousands of men and women, focused, determined, and committed to success. The Commercial Crew Program is no different.
For more information on some of the amazing men and women who made Commercial Crew possible, click HERE.
Kathy Lueders
Commercial Crew Program, Program Manager
John F. Kennedy Space Center
Click HERE for more on Lueders.
Steve Stich
Commercial Crew Program, Deputy Program Manager
Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center
Click HERE for more on Stich.
John McKinnie
Demo-2 Mission Manager
Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center
Click HERE for more on McKinnie.
Leanne Caret
Chief Executive Officer
Boeing Defense, Space and Security
Click HERE for more on Caret.
John Mulholland
Vice President and Program Manager for Commercial Programs
Boeing Space Exploration
Click HERE for more on Mulholland.
Chris Ferguson, Boeing Astronaut
Commercial Crew Program, Deputy Program Manager
John F. Kennedy Space Center
Click HERE for more on Ferguson.
Benjamin “Benji” Reed is the director of Crew Mission Management at SpaceX. In this role he is helping spearhead the company’s development and certification efforts for the Crew Transportation System, including the Dragon spacecraft, Falcon 9 rocket, ground systems and operations. Prior to this position Benji was a mission manager for Dragon cargo missions to the International Space Station, including the CRS-3 mission which carried the first science payloads in the Dragon trunk. Over the past 20 years, he has been a leader in various commercial aerospace and NASA programs, including hardware development serving the Hubble Space Telescope, space station, and planetary science missions. He spent many years as the co-owner of a software and internet development firm and also has been a teacher.
A native of Boulder, Colorado, Benjamin graduated from the University of Colorado with a degree in mathematics, working at the Center for Astrophysics and Space Astronomy on programs including the Far Ultraviolet Spectrographic Explorer and the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph. He lives in Los Angeles, California, with his wife and three children.
As President and COO of SpaceX, Gwynne Shotwell is responsible for day-to-day operations and managing all customer and strategic relations to support company growth. She joined SpaceX in 2002 as vice president of Business Development and built the Falcon vehicle family manifest to more than 100 launches, representing more than $10 billion in business. Shotwell is a member of the SpaceX Board of Directors.
Prior to joining SpaceX, Shotwell spent more than 10 years at the Aerospace Corporation, holding positions in space systems engineering, technology and project management. She was promoted to the role of chief engineer of an MLV-class satellite program, managed a landmark study for the Federal Aviation Administration on commercial space transportation, and completed an extensive analysis of space policy for NASA’s future investment in space transportation.
In addition to being named the 2018 Satellite Executive of the Year, Shotwell was awarded the AIAA Goddard Astronautics Awards as well as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Ralph Coats Roe Medal. Fortune Magazine placed Shotwell at No. 42 on its list of the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders in 2018 and Forbes named her No. 70 on its list of Power Women in 2017. In 2014, Shotwell was appointed to the United States Export Import Bank's Advisory Committee and the Federal Aviation Administration’s Management Advisory Council. Shotwell was elected to the honorable grade of Fellow with the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Through leadership in both corporate and external science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs, Shotwell has helped raise over $1.4 million for STEM programs reaching thousands of students nationwide.
Shotwell received, with honors, her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Northwestern University in mechanical engineering and applied mathematics, and serves on their Board. She has authored dozens of papers on a variety of space-related subjects.
Nine U.S. astronauts are working with Boeing or SpaceX for specific mission training. The crew are working side-by-side with Boeing and SpaceX to understand the new spacecraft and launch systems, the spacesuits, and refining how they’re going to operate in space.
The astronauts also are preparing to live and work aboard the space station, where they could stay for up to six months. The astronauts go through significant preparation for space station missions, including learning how to conduct spacewalks, maintain the space station and perform a myriad of research investigations covering all scientific disciplines.
The astronauts have participated in many nominal and off-nominal mission simulations, studying every aspect of their spacecraft, as well as launch, in-orbit and landing procedures. This intense work ensures they are prepared for any situation that may arise during their mission.
Images below link to the image as found on flickr.
For more Commercial Crew images click HERE.
NASA, Boeing, and SpaceX, with the help of contractors throughout America, are on the cusp of something amazing. Men and women at locations across the country have dedicated countless hours to the Commercial Crew Program to achieve a common goal: restore our nation’s ability to launch humans to the International Space Station from U.S. soil.
This government-private industry partnership has significant economic benefits, with more than 1,000 suppliers employing workers in all 50 states to support commercial crew spacecraft systems. Great minds are applying their most efficient and innovative approaches to launch astronauts back into low-Earth orbit on American-made spacecraft and rockets.
Crew safety remains NASA’s primary responsibility and priority for all human spaceflight programs. Since the beginning of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, safety has been built into the agency’s requirements as a direct result of NASA’s extensive experience in human spaceflight systems development and operations.
NASA and its commercial partners, Boeing and SpaceX, have developed systems that prioritize crew safety and survival, including launch pad emergency escape and egress systems. When commercial crew launches astronauts on test flights, both companies will have completed an uncrewed flight test to the International Space Station and demonstrated their ability to safely fly astronauts away from an emergency situation.
These commercial systems are required to meet NASA’s safety and performance requirements to be certified to transport NASA and international partner astronauts to the space station.
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The NextGen STEM Commercial Crew Program brings the accomplishments of NASA and our commercial partners, Boeing and SpaceX, to audiences through a variety of educational resources and opportunities. These hands-on, authentic STEM activities and classroom resources, including apps like “Rocket Science: Ride to Station,” engage students and educators in the mission while helping build a strong and growing U.S. space industry in low Earth orbit by providing meaningful STEM experiences to the future generation of explorers.
To learn more, click
HERE.
To access the app, click
HERE.
