NASA Goes Commercial?

NASA is touting cost-savings with the coming commercial crew transportation agreements, in which the space agency will pay private companies to ferry astronauts to the International Space Station, instead of Russia.

FOX News Radio’s Eben Brown reports from Miami.

Two U.S. companies are just about ready to fly U.S. astronauts to space on contract.

(Shotwell) ”Doing our uncrewed mission to the International Space Station on this upgraded crew vehicle later in ’16, and shortly followed thereafter with our crewed flight in early 2017.” 

SpaceX President Gynne Shotwell. Boeing’s Chief John Elbon says they’re right behind them…

(Elbon) “The first services mission, then, will beging in December of ’17.”

Each seat will be 13-billion less for the U.S. taxpayer, with nothing paid to Russia, say NASA Administrator Charles Bolden…

(Bolden) “I don’t ever want to write another check to Roscosmos.”

In Miami, Eben Brown, FOX News Radio.