NASA team members of the SpaceX Crew-5 mission to the International Space Station. They have gotten experience that they will take forward as they train to fly in SpaceXs Crew Dragon spacecraft and serve aboard the International Space Station,” stated Kathryn Lueders, associate administrator of the Space Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “The NASA group is lucky to have two commercial team partners and will continue to work with Boeing and SpaceX to prepare NASA astronauts and our global partners to fly to and from the International Space Station on U.S. spacecraft.”
NASA is partnering with Boeing and SpaceX to develop a new generation of human-rated spacecraft capable of taking astronauts to the station and back to Earth, consequently broadening research chances in orbit.” It has actually been great to spend the last couple of years training with the joint Boeing and NASA team, and I am really looking forward to now have a possibility to also train with SpaceX on a brand-new spacecraft.
” Nicole and Josh have actually done a remarkable task pioneering the training and path forward for astronauts to fly on Boeings Starliner spacecraft. They have actually gotten experience that they will take forward as they train to fly in SpaceXs Crew Dragon spacecraft and serve aboard the International Space Station,” stated Kathryn Lueders, associate administrator of the Space Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “The NASA team is fortunate to have 2 business team partners and will continue to deal with Boeing and SpaceX to prepare NASA astronauts and our global partners to fly to and from the International Space Station on U.S. spacecraft.”
An artists illustration of Boeings CST-100 Starliner spacecraft in orbit. Credit: Boeing
Mann and Cassada formerly were appointed to objectives on NASAs Boeing Crew Flight Test and NASAs Boeing Starliner-1 mission, respectively. NASA decided it was crucial to make these reassignments to permit Boeing time to finish the development of Starliner while continuing strategies for astronauts to gain spaceflight experience for the future requirements of the agencys missions.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, Mike Fincke, and Suni Williams will continue to supply experience for Boeing as the firm prepares for NASAs Boeing Crew Flight Test. Additional Boeing flight assignments will be made in the future.
Mann is a California local and a colonel in the Marine Corps. She earned a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from the United States Naval Academy and a Master of Science in mechanical engineering with a specialized in fluid mechanics from Stanford University. She is an F/A -18 test pilot with more than 2,500 flight hours in more than 25 aircraft. NASA chose Mann as an astronaut in 2013. This will be her very first journey to space.
This artists idea shows a SpaceX Crew Dragon docking with the International Space Station, as it will throughout a mission for NASAs Commercial Crew Program. NASA is partnering with Boeing and SpaceX to develop a new generation of human-rated spacecraft efficient in taking astronauts to the station and back to Earth, thus expanding research chances in orbit. Credit: SpaceX
” It has been the opportunity of a lifetime to train on a brand-new spacecraft, the Boeing Starliner, and it has actually been wonderful to work with the Boeing team,” Mann said. “I am enjoyed have the opportunity to train on another new spacecraft– the SpaceX Crew Dragon– and appreciate the teams at NASA who have made that possible. I am ready to fly and serve on the International Space Station.”
Cassada has actually accumulated more than 4,000 flight hours in over 45 various aircraft. NASA chose him as an astronaut in 2013.
” It has actually been fantastic to spend the last couple of years training with the joint Boeing and NASA group, and I am really looking forward to now have an opportunity to also train with SpaceX on a brand-new spacecraft. Cross training on both programs is a distinct chance to find out, however also to provide important insight to future astronauts flying these spacecraft,” Cassada stated. “And, naturally, Nicole and I are extremely thrilled to get to work aboard the International Space Station, carrying out existing operations and also contributing to future exploration beyond low-earth orbit.”
For more than 20 years, NASA has continually had astronauts living and working aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific understanding and showing brand-new technologies, making research advancements not possible on Earth. As an international venture, 242 people from 19 countries have gone to the special microgravity lab that has actually hosted more than 3,000 research and instructional examinations from researchers in 108 nations.
The station is a crucial testbed for NASA to understand and get rid of the difficulties of long-duration spaceflight and to expand commercial opportunities in low-Earth orbit. As industrial companies focus on supplying human area transportation services and establishing a robust low-Earth orbit economy, NASA is complimentary to focus on building spacecraft and rockets for deep area missions to the Moon and Mars.
NASA team members of the SpaceX Crew-5 objective to the International Space Station. Pictured from left are NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada. Credit: NASA
NASA has reassigned astronauts Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada to the firms SpaceX Crew-5 objective to the International Space Station as part of the Commercial Crew Program.
Mann and Cassada will function as spacecraft commander and pilot, respectively, for the Crew-5 objective. Extra crew members will be revealed later.
Crew-5 is expected to introduce no earlier than fall 2022 on a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The duo and their crewmates will join an expedition team aboard the station for a long period of time stay to conduct science activities for the advantage of humanity and exploration.