Vertically integrated aerospace company Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic, announced Monday the signing of an agreement with the Space center , NASA Johnson on the development of private missions to the International space station (ISS) while ensuring a sustainable economy in low-earth orbit. About it announced the press service of Virgin Galactic.
In accordance with the agreement, Virgin Galactic will develop the new private training program orbital astronauts. This program will include the identification of candidates interested in the acquisition of private astronauts to the ISS, the procurement of vehicles to the ISS, in orbit resources and ground resources.
the Launches will be conducted from a private spaceport in new Mexico. According to General Director of Virgin Galactic, George Whitesides, the program of private flights to the ISS will help create a new market for space economy.
NASA's notes the large demand for the use of the ISS for scientific and technological research and development, commercial activities and international cooperation. In the framework of the new partnership NASA< / span> will use commercial expertise and industry knowledge Virgin Galactic.
the Partnership also serves as a reference for the National laboratory of the ISS, demonstrating the additional involvement of the commercial sector in human flight in space, and can lead to the fact that commercial participants will conduct research and other commercial activities on Board the ISS.
we will Remind that on 31 may 2020 private space company SpaceX Elon musk launched to the ISS on a space ship Crew Dragon two astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley. Previously to the International space station astronauts brought only by the state, the crews of Russia and China.
