NASA engineers are evaluating the life-support system planned for SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule to make sure it will keep astronauts safe while they're traveling to and from the International Space Station.
SpaceX built the ECLSS (pronounced EE'-cliss, and short for "environmental control and life support system") Module to test the essential life-support systems for the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft, which could fly crewed missions to the orbiting lab as soon as 2018. The module is a prototype spacecraft designed "as close to the specifications of operational spacecraft as possible," allowing engineers to work out all the kinks before flight versions of the Crew Dragon are manufactured, NASA officials said in a statement.
While NASA engineers are helping to evaluate the ECLSS Module, SpaceX is building the spacecraft, launch systems and operational networks that will carry astronauts to the space station on missions for NASA's Commercial Crew Program. Once NASA certifies the spacecraft, the Crew Dragon will launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center atop a Falcon 9 rocket, agency officials said in the statement.
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