Check this out!
Yeah, SpaceX has unveiled an upgraded, passenger
version of their Dragon cargo ship which NASA
buys for re-supply runs to the International
Space Station.
The unveiling of the Dragon V2 took place
at the southern California headquarters of
Space Exploration Technologies.
Billionaire technology entrepreneur Elon Musk has
called the spacecraft a big leap forward in
technology.
Conceivably, we could do the first flight
to orbit, and we'd initially do it without
people, at the end of next year. And then
the first flight with people in 2016 we think
is very achievable.
SpaceX is just one of several private companies
competing to build so-called taxis for NASA
to replace a retired space shuttle fleet.
It previously flew four cargo missions to
the space station, delivering food and supplies.
Since the shuttle fleet retired in 2011, NASA
has depended on Russian rockets to transport
astronauts to orbit and back, paying nearly
$71 million per seat.
The space agency has said it wants US companies
to fill the void by 2011 and has given out
seed money to spur innovation.
That is how a 21st Century spaceship should
land.
