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Globe and Mail....
Globe and Mail....
Canadian astronauts could take commercial flight to space station
Head of Canadian Space Agency says astronauts may end up boarding commercial vehicle to get to International Space Station after end of U.S. space shuttle program
The head of the Canadian Space Agency says a Canadian astronaut may end up hitching a ride to the International Space Station on board a commercial vehicle.
In early December, a capsule belonging to Space Exploration Technologies Corp. – better known as SpaceX – splashed down into the Pacific Ocean.
The “Dragon" spacecraft was launched from Cape Canaveral atop the company's Falcon 9 rocket, circled the Earth twice and then parachuted back to Earth.
CSA president Steve MacLean says he's impressed by what SpaceX accomplished, noting Canada will launch a communications satellite atop the Falcon 9 rocket in 2011.
Most of Canada's astronauts have used U.S. space shuttles to travel to the space station, but the shuttles will be retired in 2011.
Mr. MacLean would not rule it out when asked if a Canadian might hitch a ride on a commercial vessel, like SpaceX's Dragon.
“If you were to ask me to be a betting man, when the time comes that will be a decision that I could see that could happen," he said.
“If everything goes well, and if it shows that to our satisfaction everything is OK, everything is safe and secure, yes, it's possible."
Mr. MacLean also has his eye on U.S. company Orbital Sciences, which is working on a winged space capsule.
Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield is already scheduled to board a Russian Soyuz for a trip to the International Space Station in late 2012 for a six-month stay.
And Mr. MacLean says another ISS visit is forecast “for a few years after the flight of Hadfield."
That space voyage will inevitably go to one of Canada's two newest astronauts – David Saint-Jacques or Jeremy Hansen – who are currently in training.
Mr. MacLean says the world's space agencies are looking at three possible ways to ship their astronauts to the space station after the American shuttles retire.
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Head of Canadian Space Agency says astronauts may end up boarding commercial vehicle to get to International Space Station after end of U.S. space shuttle program
The head of the Canadian Space Agency says a Canadian astronaut may end up hitching a ride to the International Space Station on board a commercial vehicle.
In early December, a capsule belonging to Space Exploration Technologies Corp. – better known as SpaceX – splashed down into the Pacific Ocean.
The “Dragon" spacecraft was launched from Cape Canaveral atop the company's Falcon 9 rocket, circled the Earth twice and then parachuted back to Earth.
CSA president Steve MacLean says he's impressed by what SpaceX accomplished, noting Canada will launch a communications satellite atop the Falcon 9 rocket in 2011.
Most of Canada's astronauts have used U.S. space shuttles to travel to the space station, but the shuttles will be retired in 2011.
Mr. MacLean would not rule it out when asked if a Canadian might hitch a ride on a commercial vessel, like SpaceX's Dragon.
“If you were to ask me to be a betting man, when the time comes that will be a decision that I could see that could happen," he said.
“If everything goes well, and if it shows that to our satisfaction everything is OK, everything is safe and secure, yes, it's possible."
Mr. MacLean also has his eye on U.S. company Orbital Sciences, which is working on a winged space capsule.
Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield is already scheduled to board a Russian Soyuz for a trip to the International Space Station in late 2012 for a six-month stay.
And Mr. MacLean says another ISS visit is forecast “for a few years after the flight of Hadfield."
That space voyage will inevitably go to one of Canada's two newest astronauts – David Saint-Jacques or Jeremy Hansen – who are currently in training.
Mr. MacLean says the world's space agencies are looking at three possible ways to ship their astronauts to the space station after the American shuttles retire.
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