NASA starts process to certify commercial suborbital vehicles for astronauts
Posted: Fri, Jun 26, 2020, 5:08 PM ET (2108 GMT)
NASA is taking the first steps toward allowing astronauts and other agency personnel to fly on commercial suborbital vehicles. NASA announced Tuesday it created a "Suborbital Crew" office responsible for developing safety assessments of suborbital vehicles like Blue Origin's New Shepard and Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo. NASA also released a request for information Tuesday, seeking technical and cost information from suborbital providers. The agency, though, did not set a schedule for approving commercial vehicles and buying seats on them. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine announced in March that NASA was interested in flying astronauts on commercial suborbital vehicles.
NASA is taking the first steps toward allowing astronauts and other agency personnel to fly on commercial suborbital vehicles. NASA announced Tuesday it created a "Suborbital Crew" office responsible for developing safety assessments of suborbital vehicles like Blue Origin's New Shepard and Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo. NASA also released a request for information Tuesday, seeking technical and cost information from suborbital providers. The agency, though, did not set a schedule for approving commercial vehicles and buying seats on them. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine announced in March that NASA was interested in flying astronauts on commercial suborbital vehicles.
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