Boeing CST-100 Puts Astronauts On ISS With Style

How do you get to the International Space Station? If you're in a Boeing CST-100 — comfortably. The new capsule is designed for one thing, and that's getting Astronauts to their destination and back. Like an interstellar taxi, the CST-100 is also pretty roomy and comfy, and seats more than your average road-going ferry.

Like SpaceX's Dragon 2, the CST-100 is meant for a single purpose, and that's getting humans around. Boeing's new capsule is rated for 60 hours of free flight, and can remained docked to the ISS for 210 days before needing to return to earth.

Boeing built the CST-100 for re-use, too. It can be sent back and forth about ten times before needing to be refurbished. The outer shell is a weld-less design, which gives the inner pressurized cabin more room. It's that inner cabin that will require replacement, too — not so much the outer housing.

Simplicity is also the order of the day for the CST-100. there aren't a ton of switches and buttons inside. As a pod meant to get us to and from places, the CST-100 won't need many frills. Instead of a control panel, Boeing has what they call "electronic flight bags", which are really just large tablets that operate every system on the vessel.

Considering what the average perception of space travel might be, this little guy is spacious and cool. Production is currently underway, with testing to take place in 2016. The first unmanned launch will come in early 2017, with Boeing and NASA planning to put humans on-board in mid-2017.

Source: Boeing

Via: America Space