The launch and success of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon mission was an uplifting news as things remain tough down here on Earth from a global pandemic to rising racial tensions.
However, both Elon Musk and NASA agrees that this is only the first step of what many expect to be a new era of space exploration.
The significance of last week’s launch was that SpaceX became the first private company that successfully sent astronauts into space using their own spacecraft. Not only does that enshrine SpaceX and Elon Musk’s name in the history of space exploration, it was a big relief to NASA as well.
When the funding for the Space Shuttle program ended in 2011 under the Obama administration, NASA began to outsource the development of spacecrafts to private companies. It was controversial as it meant NASA will only train the astronauts without involving themselves with the vehicle.
3 years later, NASA announced its fundings to Boeing and SpaceX. Boeing, which received $4.2 billion, has been working on the Starliner from the very first steps. The Starliner recently failed a crucial test that shrouded its prospects at least in the near future.
A smaller sum of $2.6 billion was granted to SpaceX as they could work on modifying the Dragon which was already transporting cargo to the International Space Station (ISS). This is where the name Crew Dragon came from, as the original Dragon line was reworked to have on-vehicle crew members.
So what are the future plans for NASA and the private firms? The first step is returning the two astronauts safely back to Earth after they complete their mission in the ISS. This is expected to take somewhere between 100 to 120 days.
When the two safely return and the viability of SpaceX’s shuttles are verified, more astronauts and potentially tourists may be able to visit the ISS in the future. For now, a crew of 5 astronauts are waiting to be sent into the ISS should the mission be successful.
From its establishment, the goal of SpaceX has always been to construct a human colony on Mars. Dubbed the Starship program, it has been the initial and ultimate goal for the company even before it started to cooperate with NASA.
Even on the day that Crew Dragon successfully launched, Musk emphasized to the reporters that he hopes today will be a first step towards inhabiting Mars.
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