Move over, Russia—we can send our astronauts to the space station on our own now.
Since the turn of the millennium, the International Space Station (ISS) has been crewed by a rotating cadre of astronauts from 11 space-faring countries, of which the United States and Russia have been chief operators. But ever since the retirement of the U.S. space shuttle in 2011, NASA has rented seats on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft to carry American astronauts into orbit (for $86 million each).
Next month, human spaceflight returns to U.S. soil.
BREAKING: On May 27, @NASA will once again launch American astronauts on American rockets from American soil! With our @SpaceX partners, @Astro_Doug and @AstroBehnken will launch to the @Space_Station on the #CrewDragon spacecraft atop a Falcon 9 rocket. Let's #LaunchAmerica 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/RINb3mfRWI
— Jim Bridenstine (@JimBridenstine) April 17, 2020
Two American astronauts, Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken, will be ferried to the ISS on SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft, propelled by the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Liftoff is scheduled for Wednesday, May 27, at 4:32 p.m. ET at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and will mark the first time since the space shuttle's retirement that a manned space mission will blast off from United States soil.
The Private-Sector Space Race
The launch is a definitive win for SpaceX, as it will be the company's first manned mission since its founding 18 years ago. Mid-2010s, NASA asked the private sector to develop spacecraft for government use. It was a huge contract, and both SpaceX and Boeing were vying for favor and lucre. The space-race was close, but SpaceX distinguished themselves this January with a successful test of their craft's emergency systems.
What About Coronavirus?
The omnipresent news item hasn't spared NASA—Many of the agency's activities have been canceled in compliance with the pandemic response. But the space station is maintained still, with special precautions. And for what is nearly the first launch since Alan Shepard became the first American in space in 1961, there won't be any crowds to watch. The site will be closed to the public, and only a few press passes will be issued.
If you want to learn more, follow the link in this tweet from the NASA administrator:
Learn more about the mission: https://t.co/z6aPUkUJ37
— Jim Bridenstine (@JimBridenstine) April 17, 2020
NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Andrew Morgan came back down from their stay on the ISS last Friday.
How would you feel returning from orbit to the current conditions on Earth's surface? Comment below!