CST-100

Nasa has authorised Boeing’s certification baseline review of its Crew Space Transportation (CST) 100 spacecraft.

The certification baseline review is the first among other milestones for the programme, including flight tests from Florida’s Space Coast.

Flight tests will assess the certification of the human space transportation system, which is designed to carry Nasa astronauts to the International Space Station.

With this review, the baseline design of the CST-100, United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, and associated ground and mission operations systems has been concluded, Nasa said.

"The work done now is crucial to each of the future steps in the path to certification, including a flight test to the International Space Station."

Nasa Commercial Crew Programme manager Kathy Lueders said: "The work done now is crucial to each of the future steps in the path to certification, including a flight test to the International Space Station.

"This first milestone establishes an expected operating rhythm for Nasa and Boeing to meet our certification goal."

Boeing has provided Nasa with its proposed plan for achieving certification, including baseline design, concept of operations and management and insight plans.

The company also explained how the CST-100 will connect with the station, and its plans to train astronauts to fly the CST-100 in orbit.

Earlier this year, Nasa selected Boeing and SpaceX to develop CST-100 and Crew Dragon spacecraft respectively, to fly its crews to and from the space station.

The planned missions are said to end the US dependency on Russia as well as support more research on-board the microgravity laboratory.


Image: An artist’s rendering of CST-100 spacecraft. Photo: courtesy of Boeing.

Defence Technology