SpaceX will launch the second demonstration mission of its Crew Dragon vehicle as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Transportation Capability Program (CCtCap), carrying two NASA astronauts to the International Space Station. This mission will be the first crewed flight to launch from the United States since the end of the Space Shuttle program in 2011. [...]
NASA and SpaceX are under two months away from their currently scheduled launch date for the first crewed missions of American astronauts, on American rockets, from American soil; but that doesn't mean it's too early to plan for what's coming after that.
SpaceX announced that one of their final preparation tests with their Crew Dragon capsule's parachute systems did not go as planned. The company and their test operators were forced to drop their Crew Dragon mockup capsule early during the test to protect the safety of the helicopter crew.
SpaceX is ready for a major demonstration with their Crew Dragon In-Flight Abort Test, a major milestone before SpaceX begins flying astronauts.
SpaceX is in a little bit of a lull right now and it's actually it's not really a bad thing for SpaceX. They're actually in the unusual situation where they are ready before their customers are actually ready with their payloads. Still on track for 2019 we've got a couple of communication satellites that are still going to launch, we've got another resupply mission to the International Space Station that's scheduled for December, we've got a whole bunch of Starship and Super Heavy developments that are happening as well as potential Starship flights as early as next month and then we also have the In-Flight abort test and DM-2 missions for Crew Dragon that they're still trying to fit in for this year.
