Commercial Crew Program

Lore & Background

The Commercial Crew Program began development in 2011 after NASA decided to rely on commercial industry for crew rotation to the ISS. Following open competitions, NASA awarded separate fixed-price contracts to Boeing and SpaceX in 2014 to develop their systems. Each contract required four successful demonstrations: pad abort, uncrewed orbital test, launch abort, and crewed orbital test. Operational missions were initially planned for 2017 but faced delays, requiring NASA to purchase additional Soyuz seats until Crew Dragon missions began in 2020.

Reader's Guide

The Commercial Crew Program represents a fundamental shift in NASA's approach to human spaceflight, transitioning from government-owned spacecraft to commercially owned and operated vehicles. By contracting SpaceX and Boeing, NASA aimed to reduce costs and foster a competitive commercial space industry. The program's success with Crew Dragon restored U.S. capability to launch astronauts from American soil, ending a nine-year reliance on Russia's Soyuz. Delays pushed Boeing's Starliner operational flights to no earlier than 2027, leaving SpaceX as the sole provider for the interim. The program's fixed-price contracts and milestone-based funding model have influenced subsequent NASA procurement strategies.

Did You Know?

• The program's first operational mission, SpaceX Crew-1, launched on 16 November 2020.
• Boeing Starliner will return on land with airbags, unlike Crew Dragon's ocean splashdown.
• Between 2011 and 2020, NASA relied on the Soyuz program to transport astronauts to the ISS.
• NASA awarded Boeing a US$4.2 billion contract and SpaceX a US$2.6 billion contract in 2014.