Important Innovations

  Looking To Launch Starliner First Un-crewed, Then Crewed                                                       Source:  Boeing Spaceship with Checkered Past Boeing has built the Starliner, a next generation spacecraft, that's designed to ferry astronauts to and from the International Space Station (ISS).  It is an alternative vehicle to the highly successful SpaceX Crew Dragon that brought two astronauts back and forth to the ISS this past summer.   The Starliner has been plagued with development problems, test failures and schedule slippages.  Now it has lost its astronaut Commander Chris Ferguson.  Ferguson is an engineer who helped Boeing develop the space vehicle. December 2019 Test Starliner has experienced a rocky road to development.  In December 2019, during an un-crewed flight, software problems caused the engines to misfire.  Starliner entered the wrong orbital path, never reached the ISS and was forced to return to Earth.  Now, for "personal reasons" Boeing e

Crew Dragon & US Astronauts Splash Down August 2  Source:  Crew Dragon From ISS and Back to Earth For NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Robert Behnken, it's been historic days on the International Space Station since May 30, 2020, after they launched in the SpaceX Crew Dragon spaceship aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and boarded the ISS.  They have made history for the US.  They are the first US astronauts to be launched from US soil in a decade. For SpaceX it was their first human flight into space. And for humanity, we had the opportunity to witness the 2 astronauts' bravery, leadership and scientific accomplishments, including their incredible space views of comets from the ISS.  Now, it is time for the two astronauts to make history again. NASA Schedule NASA has decided the two US astronauts will start the journey back to Earth on August 2, after 64 days onboard the ISS.  The departure plan is the equivalent of technological daring-do with a lot of expert te

NASA, SPACEX, US Astronauts & Elon Musk Source:  NASA - Crew Dragon Capsule Many Historic Firsts on Earth and Space On Wednesday, May 27, 2020, Elon Musk's SpaceX will carry two US Astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS).  This will be the first time in nearly a decade that there has been rocket launch carrying astronauts into space orbit from US soil.  It is also a first for SpaceX to carry humans - NASA astronauts - into space. And it is the first time that a private commercial vehicle has taken US astronauts into orbit.  Experts say, if all goes well, this could be the beginning of a new era of human spaceflight for the US. Launch Time The launch is set for Wednesday afternoon from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.  President Donald Trump says he will be there.  Two veteran US astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken will be the crew aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule that will rocket into space on a SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket.

SpaceX and Space Adventures Join Forces to Launch Tourists into Space Source:  SpaceX Crew Dragon Orbiting High Above the International Space Station Elon Musk's SpaceX and Virginia based Space Adventures are joining forces to send four tourists on a dedicated Crew Dragon mission to space.  Crew Dragon is a completely  autonomous spacecraft developed by SpaceX with three windows.  The design and windows are aimed at providing tourists, scientists and astronauts with a great view of the earth, moon and solar system as they whisk through space. The tourist space trip will last for five days and will fly in orbit twice as high as the International Space Station World Altitude Record Targeted The flight will occur in late 2021.  It's aimed at setting a new world record.  Targeting an orbit twice higher than the International Space Station will result in the world altitude record for private citizen space flight.  ISS orbits at an altitude of 410 kilomete