SpaceX's Crew Dragon Test Makes a Splash for Commercial Space

May 6, 2015

SpaceX achieves the next step in safely sending humans into space.

SpaceX on Wednesday successfully demonstrated its its ability to transport astronauts to safety should an emergency occur on the launch pad during a test at Cape Canaveral of Crew Dragon’s spacecraft abort system.

That’s a huge first step for SpaceX in achieving NASA certification of the Crew Dragon spacecraft for missions to the International Space Station, said Kathy Lueders, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

SpaceX through its cargo missions to ISS already has proven its ability to operate spacecraft in lower Earth Orbit. The trick in making the crew missions by 2017 is in proving it can safely transport humans.

See the video of the Crew Dragon test on EHS Today, a companion site of IndustryWeek and part of Penton's Manufacturing and Supply Chain Group.

About the Author

Ginger Christ | Ginger Christ, Associate Editor

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Ginger Christ is an associate editor for EHS Today, a Penton publication.

She has covered business news for the past seven years, working at daily and weekly newspapers and magazines in Ohio, including the Dayton Business Journal and Crain's Cleveland Business.

Most recently, she covered transportation and leadership for IndustryWeek, a sister publication to EHS Today.

She holds a bachelor of arts in English and in Film Studies from the University of Pittsburgh.