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177 articles
No commercial crew test flights expected this year
NASA has released new target dates for test flights of commercial crew capsules in development by SpaceX and Boeing, with unpiloted demo missions by SpaceX's Crew Dragon and Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spaceships now scheduled for January and March, followed by crewed orbital missions in mid-2019.
SpaceX’s astronaut walkway installed on Florida launch pad
The walkway astronauts will use to board SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule before missions to the International Space Station was added to historic launch pad 39A on Monday.
Watch a time-lapse of the Crew Dragon access arm installation (members only)
The access arm that will be used by astronauts boarding SpaceX's Crew Dragon space capsule was installed on the gantry at launch complex 39A on August 20, 2018.
Crew walkway arrives at launch pad 39A in Florida
The access arm astronauts will transit when boarding SpaceX's Crew Dragon commercial capsule has arrived at launch pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
NASA signs off on SpaceX’s “load-and-go” procedure for crew launches
The NASA manager overseeing development of Boeing and SpaceX's commercial crew ferry ships says the space agency has approved SpaceX's proposal to strap in astronauts atop Falcon 9 rockets, then fuel the launchers in the final hour of the countdown as the company does for its uncrewed missions.
NASA reveals crews for first flights of commercial spaceships
NASA announced Friday a mix of spaceflight veterans and rookie astronauts who will launch on the first flights of new Boeing and SpaceX commercial spaceships starting as soon as next spring, several months later than previously scheduled.
SpaceX’s first space-worthy Crew Dragon capsule arrives at Cape Canaveral
SpaceX’s first Crew Dragon spacecraft, a capsule designed to eventually carry astronauts on treks to the International Space Station, has arrived at Cape Canaveral to begin preparations for launch on an unpiloted test flight later this year.
New helium tank for SpaceX crew launches still waiting to fly
SpaceX is still working on a new, safer helium tank design needed for launches with astronauts, and the debut of the company's upgraded Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket earlier this month did not count as one of seven successful missions in "crew configuration" NASA says it requires before putting astronauts aboard the vehicle, officials said Thursday.
Photos: Bangabandhu 1 launched by upgraded Falcon 9 rocket
SpaceX’s upgraded Falcon 9 rocket debuted May 11 with a successful launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida carrying the Bangabandhu 1 communications satellite.
SpaceX debuts new model of the Falcon 9 rocket designed for astronauts
SpaceX debuted a more reusable, higher-thrust model of the Falcon 9 rocket Friday, hauling Bangladesh’s first communications satellite into orbit from Florida's Space Coast.