An Analysis of NASA's Dilemma over the Commercial Crew Program Essay

Following the conclusion of the Space Shuttle program in 2011, NASA was left with no means of sending astronauts to space from U.S. soil. Recognizing the need to maintain a presence on the International Space Station (ISS), the agency turned to Russia, the only other nation to launch a crewed vehicle to the station. NASA originally intended to rely on Russian Soyuz spacecraft only until 2015, when they expected commercial companies to take over the job domestically, but delays have pushed this back until at least 2019 1. This has forced NASA to consider buying more seats at monopolistic prices, and has placed additional pressure on commercial spaceflight providers.NASAs Commercial Crew Program began in 2010, when 50 million of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act were invested in five companies to begin developing human-rated spacecraft and launch systems 2. Over the course of the program, eight different companies have competed to some extent for contracts to ferry astronauts, and two, Boeing and SpaceX, received a total of 6.8 billion in crew transportation contracts in 2014 1. The program was developed because NASA recognized the potential to save about 20 million per seat vs. the Soyuz, and continued to be driven by worsening relations between the United States and Russia following the annexation of Crimea in 2014 3, 4. Since receiving contracts, Boeing and SpaceX have completed various tests on their spacecraft, including testing the parachute and launch abort systems. In addition, they have begun modifying their respective launch pads to allow crews to board the spacecraft for launch. Following a series of delays, the program is currently expected to begin manned test flights by 2018, with the first commercial flights to the ISS beginning in early 2019 1.Ensuring reliable access to space for humans is critical for NASA to achieve its scientific goals, as it allows for microgravity research to be conducted on-board the ISS, as well as provides a stepping-off point for eventual exploration farther...

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