[ad_1]
Washington, April 24 (IANS): Amid COVID-19 restrictions, the historic SpaceX mission to launch two NASA astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) on May 27 will be a much quieter affair than it would have been in normal times, with the US space agency USA Asking people not to travel to Florida to witness the show.
“We are asking people to join us in this launch, but to do so from home,” NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said at a press conference on Thursday.
SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft, which transports NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley, is scheduled to launch on a Falcon 9 rocket from launch complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
This is the first time that NASA astronauts will launch from US soil on a rocket built in the US. USA Since the end of the space shuttle program in 2011.
Since then, the US space agency has relied on the Russian Soyuz capsule to transport its astronauts to and from the ISS, a deal that has cost NASA around $ 81 million per passenger, according to the report.
Naturally, the thrill of witnessing a historic mission would have drawn many people to Florida next month and, under normal circumstances, there could hardly be any reason for NASA not to promote it. In light of the COVID-19 spread, NASA urges people to view the event online.
“Many of the people on the line know that when we launch into space from the Kennedy Space Center, it draws big, huge crowds, and that’s not what we’re trying to do right now,” Bridenstine said.
“We are trying to make sure we have access to the International Space Station, without drawing the large number of crowds that we normally have,” he added.
The “Demo-2” mission will be the last important step before NASA’s Commercial Crew Program certifies Crew Dragon for long-term operational missions to the space station.
This regular Crew Dragon certification and operation will allow NASA to continue the important research and technological investigations that take place aboard the station.
NASA selected SpaceX and Boeing to create integrated spacecraft, rockets, and associated systems to transport astronauts on NASA missions.
[ad_2]
