SpaceX Crew Dragon: passenger spacecraft to blast off to ISS
Nasa approves mission but Russian space station operators express concerns ahead of Saturday’s launch
![SpaceX Dragon](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EcB7W8vTti6tozEfN9nrLi-1280-80.png)
SpaceX is preparing to send its Crew Dragon passenger spacecraft on a test voyage to the International Space Station (ISS) on Saturday, after getting the go-ahead from Nasa.
The Elon Musk-backed firm will put a “spacesuit-clad crash test dummy” on board before launching the Crew Dragon capsule from Nasa’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, The Independent reports.
The mannequin’s spacesuit will be fitted with an “array of sensors” to collect “key data” on conditions inside the capsule, to help iron out any issues before the first human passengers blast off into orbit, the news site says.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
![https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516-320-80.jpg)
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The mission will be the first US launch since 2011 of a spacecraft built to carry humans.
However, Russian operators of the ISS have “expressed concern” over the computer systems on the Crew Dragon, reports Sky News. The capsule’s docking mechanism reportedly lacks a back-up system that could be employed if main one fails.
A Nasa spokesperson said the US space agency believed these concerns would be dismissed once the SpaceX system has been fully explained to its ISS Russian partners.
This weekend’s launch comes weeks after that of the Falcon 9 rocket, the ship that will transport the Crew Dragon to the space station.
If the latest mission is also deemed a success, SpaceX will proceed to test the capsule’s “emergency abort” system, designed to save the crew in the event of an emergency, says Digital Trends.
No date has been set for the first human occupied voyage, but Musk has hinted that the mission could take place as early as this summer.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Dairy milk, once maligned, is making a comeback
Under the Radar Sales of dairy milk were up 2% in 2024
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
6 solid travel mugs and bottles for all excursions
The Week Recommends Stay hydrated on the go
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
Sudoku hard: February 18, 2025
The Week's daily hard sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
What Trump's 'tech bros' want
The Explainer Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos had 'prime seats' at the president's inauguration. What are they looking to gain from Trump 2.0?
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and the billionaire space race
The Explainer Tesla CEO and Amazon founder vie for dominance of satellite launch market and could influence Nasa plans to return to Moon
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
David Sacks: the conservative investor who will be Trump's crypto and AI czar
In the Spotlight Trump appoints another wealthy ally to oversee two growing — and controversial — industries
By David Faris Published
-
Judge rejects Elon Musk's $56B pay package again
Speed Read Judge Kathaleen McCormick upheld her rejection of the Tesla CEO's unprecedented compensation deal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Bluesky: the social media platform causing a mass X-odus
The Explainer Social media platform is enjoying a new influx but can it usurp big rivals?
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
What Trump's win could mean for Big Tech
Talking Points The tech industry is bracing itself for Trump's second administration
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Is the world ready for Tesla's new domestic robots?
Talking Points The debut of Elon Musk's long-promised "Optimus" at a Tesla event last week has renewed debate over the role — and feasibility — of commercial automatons
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
The next place you'll find Starlink tech isn't a war zone — it's your airplane seat
Under the Radar Several major airlines are offering free in-flight Wi-Fi through the technology
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published