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NASA has chosen Boeing and SpaceX to build the vehicles that will transport its astronauts to the International Space Station, putting the two American companies on a course to take over a job that NASA has recently relied upon Russia to perform: carrying out manned space flights.

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden says vehicles from the two companies are expected to be ready for service by 2017.

Announcing its decision Tuesday, the space agency included these details:

NPR's Nell Greenfieldboyce reports on the priorities behind the space agency's move:

 Dragon capsule have already made flights to the space station, becoming the first commercial company to deliver cargo to the orbiting station back in 2012.


 says it'll build its CST-100 capsule in Florida. The company also hopes to provide the craft to commercial companies that are planning to take private citizens into space.
Before they're put into service, the two capsules would need to meet safety certifications that include a test flight carrying a crew.  Copyright 2019 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Science

The contracts put the two American companies on a course to take over a job that NASA has recently relied upon Russia to perform: carrying out manned space flights.

Boeing and SpaceX win $6.8 billion in NASA contracts

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