{"id":18326,"date":"2018-10-05T17:47:18","date_gmt":"2018-10-05T09:47:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/boeing-and-spacex-reschedule-starliner-and-dragon-space-taxi-flight-tests-for-2019\/"},"modified":"2018-10-05T17:47:18","modified_gmt":"2018-10-05T09:47:18","slug":"boeing-and-spacex-reschedule-starliner-and-dragon-space-taxi-flight-tests-for-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/boeing-and-spacex-reschedule-starliner-and-dragon-space-taxi-flight-tests-for-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"Boeing and SpaceX reschedule Starliner and Dragon space taxi flight tests for 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Dragon
SpaceX\u2019s Crew Dragon and Boeing\u2019s CST-100 Starliner are being developed to transport astronauts to and from the International Space Station for NASA. (SpaceX \/ Boeing Illustrations)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

NASA says we\u2019ll have to wait until 2019 to see the first orbital tests of the space taxis that are being built by SpaceX and Boeing for trips to the International Space Station.<\/p>\n

The schedule shift was laid out Thursday in an online update.<\/p>\n

SpaceX had scheduled the first uncrewed flight of its Dragon V2 spaceship for as early as next month. The revised schedule calls for that test flight, known as Demo-1, to launch next January.<\/p>\n

NASA said it\u2019s working with SpaceX to bring the Dragon hardware and associated activities to full readiness for Demo-1 in December, but is scheduling the launch in January to accommodate docking opportunities at the space station.<\/p>\n

In a statement, SpaceX said a target date for Demo-1\u2019s liftoff from Launch Complex 39A at NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center would soon be set.<\/p>\n

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\u201cHaving completed a number of additional milestones including substantial training and numerous integrated mission simulations, end-to-end Dragon checkouts at the Cape, complete Falcon 9 vehicle integration review, and installation of the crew access arm at LC-39A, SpaceX is on track for launch readiness in December.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe look forward to launching our first demonstration flight of Crew Dragon \u2014 one of the safest, most-advanced human spaceflight systems ever built \u2014 as part of the Commercial Crew program and working with NASA to identify the specific launch target date soon.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The Demo-2 crewed flight would follow in June 2019, with NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Doug Hurley visiting the space station.<\/p>\n

Boeing\u2019s uncrewed flight test for its CST-100 Starliner capsule had been set for late this year or early next year. Now it\u2019s due to launch no earlier than next March.<\/p>\n

That test flight would be followed by a crewed flight test next August. So far, three crew members have been chosen for that mission to the space station: NASA astronauts Eric Boe and Nicole Aunapu Mann \u2014 plus Boeing test pilot Chris Ferguson, who served as the commander for the final space shuttle mission in 2011.<\/p>\n

It wouldn\u2019t be surprising if further delays crop up as the dates for first flights approach.<\/p>\n