Boeing unveils CST-100 spacecraft
By Mike Killian
They say there is no
substitute for experience,
and when it comes to
the astronauts in here every
six months to provide that
reach and visibility. Do they
the world that can match
the proven expertise and
decades
of
experience
table.
Three
companies
left by the retirement of
in 2011, and the Crew
Space
Transportation-100
spacecraft (or CST-100 for Boeing brings technology and comfort to its new spacecraft. Credit: Boeing
experience to provide the United
States with affordable, reliable, and
key in the development of their
spacecraft, or “space taxi” as they
refer to it, which makes sense because
that is exactly what it is. However,
low-key is not to be confused with
hope NASA will choose as a transport
“The CST-100 is a cheap, cost
effective vehicle that doesn’t need
to be luxurious because it only needs
simple ride up to and back from
space,” said former astronaut and
commander of the last space shuttle
all, but will be able to take manual
control of the CST-100 at any time,
just in case.
process in that vehicle.”
commercial airliner feel into
the CST-100, and so you see
commercial airlines to commercial
an interior that makes the spacecraft
they need to operate the spaceship,
which is mostly autonomous,” said
the ability to deal with failures and
take manual control if necessary.”
The spacecraft interior is much
more user-friendly than vehicles that
came before. No more hundreds
(if not thousands) of switches on
nearly every wall; the CST-100 has a
control panel that spans not more
with
CST-100
development
in
the second phase of a two-phased
summer, known as Commercial Crew
Transportation Capability (CCtCap),
operations to the Kennedy Space
Center to manufacture, assemble,
the former space shuttle Orbiter
serves as Director of Crew and Mission
the company’s 787 Dreamliner. A
blue hue creates a sky effect and
makes the capsule appear and feel
is not for the claustrophobic). The
and other low-Earth orbit destinations.
The vehicle will launch from Cape
Canaveral Air Force Station, just a
and will cruise autonomously on a six
96
96
satellite, space launch vehicle, and
commercial airplane production
for crew interfaces, which completely
eliminates any need for bulky
manuals.
the ability to rapid prototype the
six CST-100’s at a time.”
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