The Space Exploration Technologies, known as SpaceX, has demonstrated a new spacecraft that could give the NASA a cheaper and flexible way to send human into space.
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| Elon Musk, right, unveils the SpaceX Dragon V2 spacecraft Thursday, May 29, 2014, in Hawthorne, Calif. SpaceX, which has flown unmanned cargo capsules to the International Space Station, unveiled the new spacecraft Thursday designed to ferry up to seven astronauts to the space station. (Picture from: http://hrld.us/1kuAu1m) |
Chief executive of SpaceX, Elon Musk on Thursday, May 29, 2014 introduced a new capsule aircraft called the Dragon Two at the company's headquarters in Hawthorne, California. He said the new spacecraft that could end the Russian's current monopoly in launching a rocket into space.
"Russia is not only mocking the United States due to lack of equipment for a flight into space. But, they are also allowed to charge excessive and I think even above 70 million dollars for a single passenger. We offer cost per NASA astronauts can be less than 20 million dollars and that's assuming a low-level flight. So if the amount of the high cost might be only a few million dollars per passenger," Elon Musk said.
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| Elon Musk, left, CEO and CTO of SpaceX, mingles with invited guests inside the SpaceX Dragon V2 spaceship at the headquarters on Thursday, May 29, 2014, in Hawthorne, Calif. SpaceX, which has flown unmanned cargo capsules to the International Space Station, unveiled the new spacecraft Thursday designed to ferry astronauts to low-Earth orbit. (Picture from: http://hrld.us/1kuAu1m) |
Since the space shuttle is retired in 2011, NASA relies on Russian rockets to carry astronauts to the International Space Station and back again. Previous NASA wants the American companies to fill the gap by 2017 and has provided grants to spur innovation.
Elon Musk also emphasized the ability of the new spacecraft landing where he said with a more powerful engine and a special landing gear, the plane can land anywhere like a helicopter.
SpaceX has flown unmanned capsule to the International Space Station, but the capsules that landed in the sea while back. Musk said Dragon Two allows the re-use quickly, and the spacecraft can be quickly refueled and sent back into space. He expects the first test flight of unmanned aircraft that will be around next year and the flight crew circa 2016. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | VOA NEWS]
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