All 'Space Systems' go for private rides for NASA Astronauts

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By Space Reporter | September 20, 2011 11:58 PM

NASA is set to hand over money to build two spacecrafts to bring astronauts to the International Space station.

Currently, all NASA has is the Russian Soyuz project. Conceived in 1960, the Soyuz spacecraft became the second-generation Soviet vehicle capable of carrying humans into space. Unlike its predecessor -- a one-seat Vostok -- the Soyuz would be able to conduct active maneuvering, orbital rendezvous and docking.

The retirement of NASA's space shuttle fleet took place throughout 2011. Discovery was the first of the three active space shuttles to be retired, completing its final mission on March 9, 2011; Space Shuttle Endeavour did so on June 1.

The final NASA Space Shuttle mission was completed with the landing of Atlantis on July 21, 2011, bringing about the end of the 30-year Space Shuttle program.

NASA is paying the Russian space agency, Roscosmos, over $1 billion to fly Americans on the rockets over the next four years.




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