CAPE CANAVERAL - Eight years after the last manned US space flight, NASA and SpaceX are preparing to test a new space capsule for astronauts on Saturday -- although for now the only occupant will be a dummy named Ripley. If the flight goes smoothly, NASA plans to put two astronauts on board SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule by the end of the year. After the shuttle program was shuttered in 2011 after a 30-year run, NASA began outsourcing the logistics of its space missions. Planning has been delayed by around three years, with the first manned SpaceX flight still penciled in for July, though officials frequently refer to the end of 2019 as a more realistic deadline. In less than a decade, SpaceX has become a key partner for NASA, in addition to dominating the market for private satellite launches.

Source: Bangkok Post March 01, 2019 19:52 UTC