A "disaster waiting to happen"? Industry officials worry about Crew Dragon availability.
Industry officials are expressing concern over the lack of redundancy in US crewed space transportation, as SpaceX's Crew Dragon remains the only operational vehicle. With Boeing's Starliner facing significant delays, the reliance on a single provider is viewed as a potential risk for future space station missions.
Why it matters
The lack of a secondary crew vehicle creates a single point of failure for US access to orbit, complicating plans for upcoming private space stations.
A transportation dilemma A “disaster waiting to happen”? Industry officials worry about Crew Dragon availability. “It’s very clear that in the United States there is a big need for an additional crew vehicle.”
14 SpaceX's Crew Dragon vehicle is seen on the launch pad in Florida. Credit: SpaceX SpaceX's Crew Dragon vehicle is seen on the launch pad in Florida. Credit: SpaceX Text settings Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only Learn more Minimize to nav NASA breathed a deep sigh of relief six years ago when SpaceX launched two astronauts, Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken, on a successful mission to the International Space Station. With the safe landing of Crew Dragon, the US space agency broke a nearly decade-long gap in its ability to put humans into orbit.
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