Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk is sharing a little more about a spacesuit his company SpaceX has developed. In a photo posted Friday on Instagram, Musk shows off the SpaceX spacesuit next to Crew Dragon, the next-generation spacecraft designed to carry astronauts into space.
Crew Dragon will be a fully autonomous spacecraft that can also be monitored and controlled by on-board astronauts and SpaceX mission control in Hawthorne, Calif., according to the company.
SpaceX received a $2.6 billion contract from NASA to build spacecraft to carry astronauts to the International Space Station. Boeing also received a contract. Launch plans are scheduled for 2018. SpaceX is developing the Dragon 2 spacecraft and Boeing is building the CST-100 Starliner.
SpaceX is planning a demonstration mission in February 2018, followed by test in the following June that will have two crew members aboard, according to NASA.
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Last month, Musk posted the first photo of the spacesuit on Instagram, noting that it wasn’t a “mockup,” but a tested version that “actually works.” At the time, Musk promised “more in the days to follow.”
SpaceX has focused its efforts on unmanned spaceflights and reusable rocket technology. However, Musk’s intent for the company was to reduce the cost of space travel, which includes sending humans—not just launching satellites and delivering cargo—to the International Space Station.
