bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Associated Press

Billionaire Elon Musk has taken the wraps off a spacecraft designed to ferry up to seven astronauts to the International Space Station.
The unveiling of the cone-headed craft dubbed Dragon V2 took place at the Southern California headquarters of Musk’s company, SpaceX.
Musk calls the new spacecraft a big leap forward in technology.
SpaceX is one of several private companies competing to build “space taxis” for Nasa to replace the retired space shuttle fleet. It previously flew four cargo missions to the space station, delivering food and supplies.
Since the shuttle fleet retired in 2011, Nasa has depended on Russian rockets to transport astronauts to orbit and back, paying nearly US$71 million a seat.
In the latest mission, a Russian Soyuz-FG rocket booster lifted a space ship carrying a new crew to the International Space Station  from the Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Thursday.
Nasa wants US companies to fill the void by 2017 and has doled out seed money to spur innovation.
SpaceX – short for Space Exploration Technologies Corp. – has made four cargo runs to the giant orbiting outpost 320km above earth. Just last month, its Dragon capsule splashed into the Pacific, returning nearly 2 tonnes of science experiments and old equipment.
Companies competing for the right to ferry station astronauts need to design a spacecraft that can seat a crew of four or more and be equipped with life support systems and an escape hatch in case of emergency. SpaceX has said it’s designing a seven-seat spacecraft.
SpaceX and longtime Nasa contractor Boeing are “more or less neck and neck” in the competition, but experts say there’s a long way to go before astronauts can rocket out of the atmosphere on private spacecraft.
John Logsdon, professor emeritus of political science and international affairs at George Washington University, said progress was slower than anticipated, mainly because Congress had not fully funded Nasa’s budget request for the effort.
He said it was important for the US to wean its off reliance on Russia given the political tension over the annexation of Crimea.
 


Billionaire Elon Musk unveils Dragon V2, destination the International Space Station

Elon Musk unveils the cone-headed craft dubbed Dragon V2,  designed to ferry up to seven astronauts to the International Space Station.

Russia's Soyuz TMA-13M space ship blasts off from Kazakhstan on Thursday carrying a new crew to the International Space Station. Photo: AP 

.css-sioo19{color:#c79a00;}New | Billionaire Elon Musk unveils Dragon V2, destination the International Space Station

New | Billionaire Elon Musk unveils Dragon V2, destination the International Space Station