Could We Be Entering an Era of Commercialized Space Exploration?

from the Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida. To get there, they'll ride a crew Dragon spacecraft propelled into orbit by a Falcon nine rocket, both designed and manufactured by SpaceX, the organization founded into thou two by entrepreneur Elon Musk. If all goes well, this mission will make SpaceX the first private company to put astronauts into space. News of the flight was broken in April by NASA

Administrator Jim Bridenstein. During a series of virtual press conferences held on Friday May one, Bridenstein and other key figures representing both NASA and SpaceX spoke about the Crew Dragons unprecedented task. Brinstein told the media, this is a high priority mission for the United States of America. We as a nation have not had our own access to the International Space Station for nine years. At the same time, we've had American astronauts on the International Space Station for

twenty years in a row. The International Space Station, stretching three hundred and fifty seven feet long about a hundred and nine meters, is the largest man made object in Earth's orbit. Cruise stationed at the vessel perform a wide range of experiments in low gravity. The I S S owes a great deal to NASA's defunct Space Shuttle program. Green lit by then President Richard M. Nixon in nineteen seventy two, this initiative gave the world its first reusable spacecraft.

From one to two thousand eleven, NASA sent astronauts into orbit on American made shuttles. These were often used to transport portions of the I S S during its construction. On July, the Space Shuttle era came to an end as the Atlantis orbiter returned from its final mission, but the program dis continued. I S bound astronauts grew dependent on Russian Soyuz rockets. Then the law of supply and

demand took over. For nearly a decade, no other rockets were capable of sending people to the I S S. All astronauts bound for that station had to be launched out of Kazakhstan's bike Nor Cosmodrome, which is a spaceport at least to the Russian government, and by April the Russians were charging eighty six million dollars to include foreign

astronauts in their Soyuz missions. Another Soyuz rocket launch is scheduled for October, and Brandenstein says NASA is currently in negotiations to book a seat, and nevertheless, it's hoped that the SpaceX Crew Dragon will end this space flight monopoly. Brandenstein explained, we want the Russian American relationship in space exploration to remain strong. We see a day when Russian cosmonauts can launch on American rockets, an American astronauts can

launch on Russian rockets. By now, space X at the International Space Station have a fair bit of history using unmanned crafts. The company has delivered supplies to the orbiting laboratory since the Crew Dragon aced address rehearsal in March of twenty nineteen, when it left Merritt Island on the nose of a SpaceX Falcon nine rocket and autonomously docked with the International Space Station. Five days after its departure.

The Crew Dragon returned to Earth, splashing down in the Atlantic Ocean some one hundred and forty three miles or two kilometers off Florida's eastern coastline. But that trip's only passengers were an earth shaped plush toy and a dummy named Ripley, named after Sigourney Weaver's character Ellen Ripley from the Alien movie franchise. The flight later this month will be the first time that live astronauts will be on board SpaceX crew. Mission director Benjamin Reid said at the

May first conference, Dragon will be fully autonomous. The x afectation is that it can carry the crew safely to the station and bring them home without direct intervention. Even so, Hurley and Bancon are set to take control for a short period before the crew Dragon docks. They'll be able to guide the vessel using touch screens or physical switches. Both options are available for certain portions of the journey. While aboard, the crews expected to test out such components

as the maneuvering thrusters and environmental control system. And then there's the space suits, one piece outfits designed by SpaceX to supply the astronauts with oxygen, provide the appropriate temperature, and maintain pressure. The space suits plug into the crew dragon's chairs when their wearers sit down. Reid said. The suits also have an integrated communication system so that the crew can communicate through their helmets. Neither bank It nor

Hurley are strangers to low Earth orbit. Bankons logged more than seven hundred and eight hours in space, and Hurley was a member of NASA's last Shuttle air crew back in But every mission presents its own unique challenges. Like the rest of the world, NASA, space X and these two astronauts have had to make adjustments during the coronavirus outbreak,

taking extra precautions. So what does that mean? Both SpaceX and NASA have implemented social distancing protocols like keeping work desks six ft or two meters apart at their respective

control rooms. Meanwhile, the crews getting a wide berth contact with them by any other team members has been minimized and many training sessions have been done virtually and for the safety of the ISS crew, the astronauts will observe a pre flight quarantine from May sixteenth until the launch on Right now, there are three space farers, two Americans and a Russian living and working aboard the International Space station. The length of Bankin's and Harley's stay at the facility

will be determined at a later date. It could last anywhere from five to thirty days. When the time to head home arrives, the crew Dragon should undock autonomous Lee and deliver its human charges to Florida by way of the Atlantic. There's a long, proud tradition of civilians gathering near the Kennedy Space Center to witness rocket launches. Unfortunately, NASA is discouraging people from following suit this time lest they spread or contract COVID nineteen. But you can tune

in and watch the launch online. For just the fifth time in history, NASA astronauts will be test flying a new type of spacecraft. Should bank in and hurly complete their mission objectives, we may yet see a golden age of space tourism and innovation, with private industry taking on development roles long adopted by governments. Brandenstein said, this really is the next major step in commercializing low Earth orbit and having a really vital low Earth orbit economy in

which NASA is one of many customers. Today's episode was written by bark Mancini and produced by Tyler Clang. For more on the and lots of other topics. Visit how stuff works dot com. Brain Stuff is production of I heart Radio. More podcasts from my heart Radio, visit the i heart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.