SpaceX astronaut capsule demo for Nasa lifts off

The SpaceX company has launched a capsule designed to carry people from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.



The mission is uncrewed for this flight, but if it goes well, the American space agency is likely to approve the system for regular astronaut use from later this year.

SpaceX founder Elon Musk said this could be the first step towards opening space travel to commercial customers.

Not since the retirement of the shuttles in 2011 has the US been able to put humans in orbit.

Because this is just a demonstration, there are no astronauts aboard - but there is a "test dummy".

Features

Anthropomorphic simulator is fitted with sensors around the head, neck, and spine.

It will gather data on the type of forces that humans will experience when they get to ride in the spacecraft.


SpaceX has nicknamed the dummy "Ripley" - after the Sigourney Weaver character in the Alien movies.

The Dragon crew capsule is a variant on the ISS cargo freighter flown by SpaceX.



Upgrades include life-support systems, obviously; and more powerful thrusters to push the vessel to safety if something goes wrong with a rocket during an ascent to orbit.

It also has four parachutes instead of the freighter's three to control the return to Earth.


Dragon crew capsules will splashdown in the Atlantic not far from Kennedy.

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