NASA announces astronauts for SpaceX, Boeing launches from U.S.
ORLANDO, Fla. — After a seven-year hiatus, American astronauts will once again go to space from the U.S.
NASA named the crews for the first four flights planned with commercial partners Boeing and SpaceX at a Friday news conference at Johnson Space Center in Houston.
NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine announced eight current NASA astronauts, several of whom have been to space before, as well as bringing a ninth former astronaut who now works for Boeing on stage.
“For the first time since 2011, we are on the brink of launching American astronauts on American rockets from American soil,” Bridenstine said.
NASA has had to partner with Russia to launch astronauts to the International Space Station since the space shuttle program ended.
The crew for the test flight of the Boeing CST-100 Starliner will be NASA astronauts Eric Boe and Nicole Aunapu Mann flying with Boeing employee and former NASA astronaut Chris Ferguson.
The crew for the SpaceX Crew Dragon test flight, which may end up being the first to launch, features two NASA astronauts: Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley. Behnken flew on Endeavour twice, STS-123 and STS-130, while Hurley was pilot on Endeavour for STS-127 and Atlantis on STS-135.
Ferguson is expected to fly for Boeing on Starliner’s first mission to the International Space Station as well, but the second NASA crew that will accompany him will be John Cassada on his first space flight and former ISS commander Suni Williams.
Williams has spent 322 days in space as part of two expeditions: 14/15 and 32/33.
For SpaceX’s first flight to the ISS, the NASA crew will be Victor Glover on his first space flight and Mike Hopkins, who spent 166 days in space as part of Expedition 37/38.
SpaceX will launch from Kennedy Space Center on board Falcon 9 rockets while Boeing will send its crew capsule up from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station atop United Launch Alliance Atlas V rockets.