Take a taxi to space, why not? It's possible. Two American companies: manufacturer rocket engines And spacecraft— SpaceX and aircraft manufacturing giant Boeing have signed a contract to build the first-ever private spacecraft that will be able to “throw” astronauts to the International Space Station. See what the world's first space taxi looks like.
15 PHOTOS
1. Contract for total amount about US$6.8 billion includes the development of the Dragon V2 (SpaceX) spacecraft and the CST-100 (Boeing) you see in the photo. (Photo: BOB FERGUSON/Boeing photo). 
2. This is what the CST-100 spacecraft looks like inside. (Photo: ELIZABETH MORRELL/Boeing image). 
3. These are the airbags of the CST-100 spacecraft, which will only be used to transport people to the ISS, so it does not contain necessary equipment for further travel in space. (Photo: ELIZABETH MORRELL/Boeing image). 
4. The interior of the CST-100 was created in collaboration with Bigelow Aerospace. During its construction it was used large number copper tape (Photo: NASA / REUTERS). 
5. Visualization of the approach of the CST-100 spacecraft to the International Space Station. (Photo: Boeing image). 
6. Testing the parachutes of the CST-100 spacecraft. (Photo: ELIZABETH MORRELL/Boeing image). 
7. Astronaut Randy Breznik prepares to enter the CST-100 spacecraft. (Photo: AP). 
8. And this is the interior of the Dragon V2 spacecraft at the headquarters of the manufacturer - SpaceX. (Photo: NASA/Dmitri Gerondidakis). 
9. The Dragon 2 spacecraft was first presented in May at SpaceX headquarters. (Photo: NASA/Dmitri Gerondidakis). 
10. The head and founder of SpaceX is the innovative engineer Elon Musk, who created Tesla Motors and the PayPal payment service. (Photo: MARIO ANZUONI/REUTERS). 
11. It’s interesting, it turns out that it was Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, according to the director of the film “ iron man" (Iron Man) became real prototype its main character is Tony Stark. (Photo: JAE C. HONG/AP) 
12. The Dragon V2 spacecraft is carried into space by the Falcon 9 rocket. (Photo: SpaceX). 15. Falcon 9 rocket launch. (Photo: SpaceX).
In the near future, people will travel to space travel, and we are witnessing the creation of the first private spaceships or space taxi.
Ground tests of the Falcon 9 rocket and the Dragon spacecraft from SpaceX are over, the ship has arrived at the Canaveral Space Center and is preparing for the first-ever flight to the International Space Station. As usually happens, the start has already been postponed more than once.
"Perhaps this is not yet the level of reliability that would be shown government agencies- NASA, Roscosmos. However, the company conducted a certain series of tests. We will see how this test flight goes and decide whether there will be another launch at the end of the year. The main thing we want to make sure is that rapprochement with the station will pass safe," explains NASA Deputy Administrator William Gerstenmaier.
On a private plane into space. Start of commercial transport internationally space station means the start of an entire era. The most complex technologies that were previously available only to the state are now being mastered by independent companies.
"A completely new, different story begins. Several commercial companies in America are engaged in the design aircraft, which will carry people and cargo into orbit to service the ISS. This will allow NASA to free people from the Shuttle program and begin to do something new, primarily flights beyond Earth orbit,” describes possible prospects Space Shuttle program manager John Shannon.
A private ship is, of course, a strong word. NASA allocated $1.5 billion for SpaceX, thousands of laid-off employees moved from civil service to a commercial company. In the future, such support will decrease, but we can already say that the future is approaching.
“I want to take my family into space - my wife, children - and say: look how beautiful it is here! And thanks to these new companies more people will be able to fly into space - maybe hundreds of people will be sent into orbit every year, and not just ten, as now. This is very important point history, not only for America, but for the whole world - for our international cooperation"," notes NASA astronaut Michael Foale.
For the first time, a new rocket with the Dragon spacecraft launched in 2010, these were aerodynamic tests. By design American ship similar to the Russian Soyuz, but there are differences. For example, each Dragon can be used several times - the power plant, tanks, batteries are returned along with the ship. Landing, unlike the Soyuz, on water.
“The tool is very simple, uncomplicated, it cannot carry out any dynamic operations in space, just some kind of taxi that takes someone up and returns people down. In principle, with this tool it is possible to extend the existence of the ISS without investing budgetary funds there , and redistribute budget funds to solve some promising problems, create technologies deep space“Mars, the Moon, asteroids,” explains State Secretary-Deputy Head of Roscosmos Vitaly Davydov.
While the ship is only in cargo form, there is not even an automatic docking system. When Dragon approaches the ISS, the station crew will seize the ship with a manipulator. However, a manned version for 7 people, a cargo-passenger version, and even a modification for flight to Mars are also being developed. The young private astronautics, who is just getting on her feet, has quite adult ambitions.
Next year should be an important one for space industry both from the economic and ideological sides. NASA plans to break Russia's monopoly on transporting astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS).
The launch of cargo into low-Earth orbit (and even cars to Mars) with the help of private companies has already become commonplace. But the positions of Roscosmos, which since 2011 have delivered Soyuz cosmonauts from all countries going to the ISS, were equally unshakable.
Material interest
According to the NASA budget document for next year In April 2019, the first private mission to the ISS should take place, during which a crew will be delivered aboard the station. The prospect of such a move would not only undermine Roscosmos’ monopoly on delivering cosmonauts into orbit, but would also give rise to a future mini-race in space. And there is something to chase - from 2007 to 2017, Roscosmos received almost $3.5 billion for cosmonaut delivery services, and more than two players are vying for this money.
As you might guess, one of the main contenders for leadership is billionaire Elon Musk’s company SpaceX and its Crew Dragon project, also known as Dragon 2.
While earthlings were distracted by the creation and launch of the Falcon Heavy super-heavy rocket, SpaceX was simultaneously working on its own spacecraft. Its cargo Dragon has already proven that Elon Musk can deliver cargo to the ISS.
Several hundred million a year that SpaceX can “gnaw off” from Roscosmos is not the only incentive for Elon Musk's company. His space corporation signed a $2.6 billion contract with NASA to develop and certify a manned spacecraft for flights to the ISS. The existing Falcon 9 can deliver Dragon Crew into orbit.
Musk and Roscosmos have another competitor. Boeing also makes private manned spacecraft. It also has a contract with NASA (worth up to $4.3 billion) and a project for its own ship, which is developing literally “neck and neck” with Musk’s brainchild. It's about from the Boeing Starliner, "the space capsule of the 21st century." The Boeing project is launched into orbit by the Atlas 5 launch vehicle. It also already exists and has been in use for quite a long time, but its launch is much more expensive than the Falcon 9.
Let us note that the first manned flight of an American spacecraft will not cancel the use of Soyuz; they are also included in the draft budget.
Money is not the main thing
In addition to material interest, the battle between SpaceX and Boeing is over the title of the first creator of a private manned spacecraft. Although SpaceX appears more often in space news, it was Boeing that was at the origins of the US space successes. In particular, she took part in the development of the Saturn-V rocket, laboratory module Destiny for the ISS and even the top-secret military vehicle X-37b. Considering the history of the company, its weight in the American industry and connections with government agencies, the author would not classify the Starliner project as an outsider.
Lockheed Martin's Orion reusable spacecraft stands somewhat apart from the projects discussed above. The device will not only be able to restore communication between Americans and the ISS, but also become the basis for NASA’s lunar and even Martian missions. It has already been tested in space: in 2014, Orion was launched into orbit by the Delta IV Heavy carrier. In the future, NASA plans to use it in conjunction with the powerful SLS rocket, capable of delivering astronauts to the Earth’s satellite and even to the Red Planet.
Who will be the first on the moon
The Orion project is undermined by the excessively high cost of SLS launches - it is estimated at $500 million versus $90 million for the Falcon Heavy. Therefore, you should not count on using Orion in Earth orbit.
But it was SLS and Orion that were especially loved by American congressmen - during the last hearings, it was these two projects that the most funds were added to. The head of NASA's manned program, Bill Gerstenmaier, noted that the SLS will be used for missions to the Moon, in particular to the projected lunar station, because Falcon Heavy has a slightly worse payload capacity.
However, Elon Musk planned a flyby of astronauts around the Moon without help from NASA - there is an unspoken competition going on to see who will be the first to do this in the 21st century.
NASA may still adjust the budget, and technological difficulties may delay the start. But, unfortunately, the Americans are trying to repeat the successes of Russia (USSR), such as delivering people to the ISS. In a year or so later Russia will lose the opportunity to be proud of the unique technology of delivering people to the station. Meanwhile, a battle is unfolding in the United States for the future of not only the business of delivering cargo and astronauts to the ISS, but also the entire space industry as a whole.
April is a significant month in the history of astronautics. On April 12, 1961, the first man, Yuri Gagarin, went into space; dTwenty years later, on April 12, 1981, the first American shuttle. And now there's one more thing important event- launch of the first commercial ship of the American "Dragon". It is planned that to the ISS.
Ground tests of the Falcon 9 rocket and the Dragon spacecraft from SpaceX are over, the ship has arrived at the Canaveral Space Center and is preparing for the first-ever flight to the International Space Station. As usual, this happens, and more than once.
"Perhaps this is not yet the level of reliability that government agencies - NASA, Roscosmos - would show. However, the company has carried out a certain series of tests. We will see how this test flight goes and decide whether there will be another launch at the end “The main thing is that we want to make sure that the rendezvous with the station is safe,” explains NASA Deputy Administrator William Gerstenmaier.
On a private plane into space. The start of commercial transportation to the international space station marks the start of an entire era. The most complex technologies that were previously available only to the state are now being mastered by independent companies.
"A completely new, different story begins. Several commercial companies in America are engaged in the design of aircraft that will carry people and cargo into orbit to service the ISS. This will allow NASA to free people from the Shuttle program and begin to do something new, primarily flights beyond the Earth's orbit," John Shannon, head of the Space Shuttle program, describes possible prospects.
A private ship is, of course, a strong word. NASA allocated $1.5 billion for SpaceX, and thousands of laid-off employees moved from government employment to a commercial company. In the future, such support will decrease, but we can already say that the future is approaching.
“I want to take my family into space - my wife, my children - and say: look how beautiful it is here! And thanks to these new companies, more people will be able to fly into space - maybe hundreds of people will be sent into orbit every year, and not just ten, as now. This is a very important moment in history, not only for America, but for the whole world - for our international cooperation,” says NASA astronaut Michael Foale,
For the first time, a new rocket with the Dragon spacecraft launched in 2010, these were aerodynamic tests. The design of the American ship is similar to the Russian Soyuz, but there are differences. For example, each Dragon can be used several times - the power plant, tanks, batteries are returned along with the ship. Landing, unlike the Soyuz, on water.
“The tool is very simple, uncomplicated, it cannot carry out any dynamic operations in space, just some kind of taxi that takes someone up and returns people down. In principle, with this tool it is possible to extend the existence of the ISS without investing budgetary funds there , and redistribute budget funds to solve some promising problems, the creation of deep space technologies - Mars, the Moon, asteroids,” explains State Secretary-Deputy Head of Roscosmos Vitaly Davydov.
While the ship is only in cargo form, there is not even an automatic docking system. When Dragon approaches the ISS, the station crew will seize the ship with a manipulator. However, a manned version for 7 people, a cargo-passenger version, and even a modification for flight to Mars are also being developed. The young private astronautics, who is just getting on her feet, has quite adult ambitions.
