This article is for students grades 5-8.
The Commercial Crew Program (CCP) is a project in which NASA is working with business partners to build rockets and spacecraft. The goal of CCP is to send astronauts to the International Space Station from the United States.
Why Is the Commercial Crew Program Important?
The Commercial Crew Program has made it possible for astronauts to launch to space from the United States again. Since American astronauts first began traveling to space in 1961, they launched from Florida for the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and space shuttle missions. From 1981-2011, NASA used the space shuttle to carry astronauts to space. With the shuttle, NASA could do many amazing things, including carrying parts into space to build the International Space Station. When the space station construction was finished, NASA no longer needed a vehicle that large to carry people to space. The space shuttle was retired in 2011. With no space shuttle, NASA astronauts had to travel to Russia to launch on Russian rockets to the space station. The Commercial Crew Program means NASA no longer has to rely only on Russia to take American astronauts to the space station. U.S. astronauts can launch from U.S. soil again.
Why Is the Program Called Commercial Crew Program?
NASA is an agency of the United States government. NASA is not a company. The money NASA uses comes from the taxes paid by U.S. citizens. Congress decides how much money NASA gets. For every dollar in taxes, NASA gets about half of one cent. The word “commercial” in commercial crew does not mean advertising that you see on TV. The definition of this type of commercial has to do with the buying and selling of goods and services. So, the Commercial Crew Program is work done with businesses that make money by selling things or charging for the work they do. In this case, businesses make money by selling seats to NASA to fly its astronauts on the spacecraft. It’s similar to how you buy a plane ticket to ride on an airplane. NASA and these businesses are working together.
How Is the Commercial Crew Program Different From Other NASA Programs?
The CCP gives NASA’s business partners control of how to send astronauts to space. Since NASA first began sending humans into space, the space agency has worked with companies to build rockets and spacecraft. NASA would decide the kind of vehicle and choose the company to do the work. NASA engineers and other employees would oversee the work and then test the new vehicle that the companies built. But with the CCP, NASA made a list of requirements for a new transportation system. The vehicle must safely carry astronauts to and from the International Space Station. The transportation must be reliable and a good price. If a company was interested in working with NASA, the company could design, build and test any type of transportation that would meet NASA’s need. The CCP is the first time NASA has used this method of working with businesses to fly its astronauts.
Which Companies Are Part of the Commercial Crew Program?
Two companies are partnering with NASA on the Commercial Crew Program: Boeing and SpaceX. These companies have built rockets and spacecraft in the past for missions to the space station.
Compare the two:
Boeing and SpaceX are using different vehicles and methods, but both companies have the same goal: to send astronauts safely to the space station and return them safely to Earth.
Which Astronauts Will Fly With the Commercial Crew Program?
Commercial Crew Program missions include astronauts from NASA, Boeing and from other countries that are partners in the International Space Station. Some will fly on Starliner. Some will fly on the Crew Dragon.
What Are the Plans for the Commercial Crew Program Flights?
The spacecraft have been tested without crews of astronauts. The Crew Dragon launched successfully on May 30, 2020, with two astronauts who had a short stay on the space station. The two astronauts returned to Earth when they splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico on Aug. 2, 2020. On Nov. 16, 2020, the first crew of four astronauts launched to the space station on the Crew Dragon.
After humans ride in the test flights of the Starliner, NASA will decide when that spacecraft is ready for regular flights to take astronauts to the space station.
Both spacecraft were designed to remain docked to the space station for months before returning to Earth.
All missions will launch from Florida, and U.S. citizens will be able to see launches in person again.
More About the Commercial Crew Program
Video: Commercial Crew Program: What’s It All About?
Video: How To Make a Straw Rocket
Video: How To Make a Rocket Pop-Up Card
Simulation: Fly the SpaceX Crew Dragon
2020 Children’s Artwork Calendar (PDF)
Commercial Crew Program Posters
What Is the International Space Station?
What Was Project Mercury?
What Was the Gemini Program?
What Was the Apollo Program?
What Was the Space Shuttle?