For the United States today is a significant day.

The country gets lost with the closure of the program “space Shuttle” in 2011 the position itself starts astronauts.

Today, 27 may at 23:33 Minsk, in the history of space exploration can be written a new page for the first time in near-earth space people will go on transport, created by a private company. SpaceX, businessman Elon musk , in cooperation with NASA, will launch into orbit a rocket Falcon 9 partially reusable manned spacecraft Crew Dragon.

The last time the crew of two Americans started from the USA in 1982 (STS-4).

On Board in the test mission will be two experienced astronaut Aerospace control US, twice flew on the Space Shuttle Shuttle: 49-year-old pilot Robert “Bob” Lewis Behnken and 53-year-old commander Douglas “Doug” Gerald Hurley, reports liga.net.

Hurley was part of the crew of the STS-135 mission of the Shuttle Atlantis – the final flight of the Americans into space on their rocket/ship. It was July 8, 2011, nearly nine years ago. Developed project Constellation (Ares I, the rocket / spaceship Orion) closed the last of President Barack Obama.

Since then forced US to book seats for the flight to the ISS and back just for the “Unions” (although started to fly it before), and the price tag grows every year: in 2020 the cost of sending one astronaut on Board a Russian spacecraft exceeded $86 million.

Ship

NASA did not independently develop a new spacecraft to fly to the International space station instead of the Shuttle, and arranged a competition among private U.S. companies, which in 2014 was won by Boeing and SpaceX. First created the Starliner, the second – Сrew Dragon.

If unmanned test flight of the “Starliner” was unsuccessful, then empty the Dragon for the crew flew last spring to the ISS perfect. SpaceX say they will be able to carry people to the station, including the Russians, in exchange, approximately at a price of $50-55 million per person (and the whole run – almost $210 million). From Boeing, the price tag is almost twice as much: $90 million and $350 million respectively.

photo from: liga.net

Crew Dragon can carry seven people, but orders NASA will carry per flight is only four. Moreover, for each chartered NASA mission, the crew will be new, and again they may use in future tourist flights.

Perhaps the main visual difference manned version of the Dragon V2 from the first cargo: he’s not winged. That is exhibited at the side of the solar panels had not, they lined the cargo Bay of the ship.

The crew

Bob Behnken was born 28 July 1970 in Missouri. Education: bachelor’s degree in physics and mechanical engineering (University of Washington), master and doctor in engineering (Caltech). A former test pilot on the F-15, F-16 and F-22 captain U.S. air force. Came to NASA in 2000, nine years later received a Lieutenant-Colonel.

Double-flew into orbit on the Shuttle Endeavour (STS-123 in 2008 and STS-130 in 2010) – a total of 708 hours, and each time went out three times into space (in the amount of about 37.5 h).

NASA astronaute married to Catherine McArthur, he enjoys rock climbing, Hiking and skiing.

Doug Hurley was born 21 October 1966 in the state of new York. Education: bachelor in engineering Sciences (Tulane University). Test pilot naval aviation, has mastered more than 25 types of aircraft and logged more than 5500 h Colonel of the marine corps of the United States. Caught in NASA in the same year as the Behnken.

Twice visited in space flight – a total of 683 hours – in the missions Endeavour (STS-127 in 2009) and Atlantis (STS-135 in 2011). Open space is not out.

Married to Karen Nyberg – NASA astronaute; has a child. He enjoys backpacking, driving in NASCAR and an avid hunter.

Understudies crew – 51-the summer commander Michael Scott Hopkins and 44-year-old pilot Victor Jerome Glover.

Flight

The rocket launched with a complex LC-39A space center. Kennedy in Florida, which was built in the 1960s for the Saturn V, was used to launch shuttles, and in 2014 moved to a 20-year lease SpaceX. If prevent weather or problems, replacement Windows – may 30 at 22:22 and 31 may at 22:00 Minsk time.

In case of anomalies in the vehicle provides emergency rescue system (see how it was tested in flight).

photo from: liga.net

The first stage of the rocket are going to gently land on the floating platform Of Course I Still Love You in the Atlantic ocean. It is a secondary part of the mission.

May 28 at 18:39 Kyiv time ship serial number C206 should automatically – without the help of the manipulator Canadarm2 to the ISS to dock with the station through the adapter IDA-2 on the Harmony module. “Dragon” want to spend a lot of inspections, so the flight will take almost 19 hours.

In orbit now works expedition ISS-63 (American Christopher Cassidy, Russians , Ivan Wagner and Anatoly Ivanishin); they arrived there on April 9 and will stay there until October 22.

The period of stay on ISS crew Crew Dragon is not yet determined – from 30 to 119 days: it will decide on the course of the mission. The ship is designed so that it can remain in orbit up to 7 months. Will return to Earth off the coast of Florida, the crew also “the Dragon”: the capsule caught in the Atlantic ocean sea ship SpaceX Go Navigator.

“HIPAA” on the return of interest in space, NASA decided to give a special charm to this significant for US event, and in addition to the current has brought back the old logo, which popularized the American space from 1975 to 1992 the most active phase of its space exploration after the lunar program.

For launch from the spaceport will be watching U.S. President Donald trump.

A few years ago, Russian official, then head of Roscosmos , Dmitry Rogozin, asked the Americans to deliver astronauts into orbit using the trampoline. USA “sharpness” ignored and continued to work on creating their means of delivery. Today, tomorrow and in the coming months we will see what happens.