SpaceX vows manned flight to space station is on track

On August 3, Nasa named the first nine astronauts who will fly to space on Boeing and SpaceX vehicles in 2019 – a mix of novices and veterans.

These are: 

Robert ‘Bob’ Behnken, 48

SpaceX Crew Dragon test crew member 

Is a U.S. Air Force colonel

Was chief of the Astronaut Office, the highest leadership role

Has a bachelor’s physics and mechanical Engineering from Washington University and a master’s and doctorate in mechanical engineering from California Institute of Technology

Eric Boe, 53

Boeing Starliner test crew member 

Born in Miami

Is a U.S. Air Force colonel and member of the Texas Wing of the Civil Air Patrol

Has a bachelor’s in astronautical engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy, and a master’s in electrical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology

Enjoys outdoor sports, reading, scuba diving, and skiing

Josh Cassada, 45

Boeing Starliner first mission member 

Grew up in White Bear Lake, Minnesota

Is a U.S. Navy commander and test pilot with more than 3,500 flight hours

Will be taking his first trip to space

Has a bachelor’s in physics from Albion College and a master’s and doctorate in physics with a specialty in high-energy particle physics from the University of Rochester

Chris Ferguson, 56

Boeing Starliner test crew member 

Born in Philadelphia

Is Boeing’s director of Starliner Crew and Mission Systems

Retired from the Navy as a captain and pilot; also a former shuttle astronaut

Has a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from Drexel University and a masters of science in aeronautical engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School

Enjoys golf, woodworking, running; and played drums for Max Q, a rock and roll band

Victor Glover, 42

SpaceX Crew Dragon first mission 

Is from Pomona, California

Is a U.S. Navy commander and test pilot with almost 3,000 hours flying

Has made 400 carrier landings and has flown 24 combat missions

Has a bachelor’s in general engineering from California Polytechnic State University and a master’s in flight test engineering from Air University as well as a master’s systems engineering from Naval Postgraduate School and a master’s of military operational art and science from Air University

Michael Hopkins, 49

SpaceX Crew Dragon first mission member 

Born in Lebanon, Missouri

Is a U.S. Air Force colonel and flight test engineer

Has spent 166 days on the International Space Station for expeditions 37 and 38 and conducted two spacewalks

Has a bachelor’s in aerospace engineering from the University of Illinois and a master’s in aerospace engineering from Stanford University

Douglas Hurley, 51

SpaceX Crew Dragon test crew

From Apalachin, New York

Is a U.S. Marine Corps colonel

Piloted the final space shuttle mission, Atlantis’ STS-135, as well as Endeavor’s STS-127

Has a bachelor’s in civil engineering from Tulane University

Nicole Aunapu Mann, 41

Boeing Starliner test crew member 

From Penngrove, California

Is a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps and F/A-18 test pilot with more than 2,500 flight hours

Will be taking her first trip to space

Has a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering and a master’s in mechanical engineering with a specialty in fluid mechanics

Sunita Williams, 52 

Boeing Starliner first mission

Is from Needham, Massachusetts

Is a U.S. Navy captain and test pilot

Has spent 322 days aboard the International Space Station for expeditions 14 and 15 and expeditions 32 and 33 and performed seven spacewalks

Has a bachelor’s physical science from the U.S. Naval Academy and a Master of Science in Engineering Management from Florida Institute of Technology

(L-R) Bob Behnken, Doug Hurley, Mike Hopkins and Victor Glover, the Nasa astronauts chosen for the Commercial Crew Program to fly on the SpaceX Crew Dragon



Read more at DailyMail.co.uk