SpaceX Is About To Conduct A Major Test

SpaceX is preparing the first test flight of the Crew Dragon Capsule in Florida.

SpaceX is taking a huge step forward this week, as the Elon Musk company prepares to conduct the first test of the Crew Dragon capsule, which would carry astronauts to and from the International Space Station. The capsule was transferred to Florida from NASA's Ohio facility this week to continue ongoing flight preparations.

When the testing is complete, Crew Dragon will make an uncrewed practice run to the International Space Station in a test called Demonstration Mission 1 (DM-1). A Falcon 9 rocket will launch DM-1 sometime next month from Kennedy Space Center.

If the test is successful, SpaceX will do an in-flight abort test and then the first crewed demonstration flight called Demonstration Mission 2, which would be a huge milestone in the space program and represent the addition of a brand new manned capsule in NASA's arsenal. And SpaceX won't be the only one doing test flights of a new capsule, as Boeing is also under contract for the Commercial Crew Program.

"Step inside Crew Dragon, SpaceX’s next-generation spacecraft designed to carry humans to the International Space Station and other destinations," SpaceX describes Crew Dragon on its website. "Dragon made history in 2012 when it became the first commercial spacecraft to deliver cargo to the space station, a feat previously achieved only by governments. But Dragon was also designed from the beginning to carry people, and today SpaceX is finalizing the necessary refinements to make that a reality.

"Crew Dragon was designed to be an enjoyable ride. With four windows, passengers can take in views of Earth, the Moon, and the wider Solar System right from their seats, which are made from the highest-grade carbon fiber and Alcantara cloth," SpaceX continues. "Crew Dragon features an advanced emergency escape system (which was tested in the spring of 2015) to swiftly carry astronauts to safety if something were to go wrong, experiencing about the same G-forces as a ride at Disneyland."

Crew Dragon has displays that show the crew real-time information on the current state of capabilities of the spacecraft, whether that be its position, destinations, or the general environment aboard the spacecraft.

"Crew Dragon has an Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) that provides a comfortable and safe environment for crew members. During their trip, astronauts on board can set the spacecraft’s interior temperature to between 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit," SpaceX states. "Crew Dragon will be a fully autonomous spacecraft that can also be monitored & controlled by on board astronauts and SpaceX mission control in Hawthorne, CA."

Crew Dragon is a variant of SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft.

"Dragon is a free-flying spacecraft designed to deliver both cargo and people to orbiting destinations," SpaceX says. "Dragon made history in 2012 when it became the first commercial spacecraft in history to deliver cargo to the International Space Station and safely return cargo to Earth, a feat previously achieved only by governments. It is the only spacecraft currently flying that is capable of returning significant amounts of cargo to Earth. Currently Dragon carries cargo to space, but it was designed from the beginning to carry humans. Under an agreement with NASA, SpaceX is now developing the refinements that will enable Dragon to fly crew. Dragon's first manned test flight is expected to take place as early as 2018."

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