NASA's Four-Astronaut Commercial Crew Could Be Flying Out in 2017

NASA announced names of four astronomers who would be the first commercial crew and probably first to ride a spacecraft to Mars.

NASA is working with private firms to bring launches back to the US, said administrator Charles Bolden. The four astronauts, Robert Behnken, Sunita Williams, Eric Boe and Douglas Hurley could be headed to the International Space Station on commercial space vehicles as early as 2017. By working with American firms, Bolden said NASA was able to focus on game-changing technologies including Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System (SLS). Additionally, he said there are economic benefits to by returning launches to America.

"It currently costs $76 million per astronaut to fly on a Russian spacecraft. On an American-owned spacecraft, the average cost will be $58 million per astronaut. What's more, each mission will carry four crewmembers instead of three, along with 100 kg of materials to support the important science and research we conduct on the ISS," Bolden said in a blog post.

Bolden also said that the commercial crew initiative will create jobs for Americans.

The journey to Mars is being planned in 2030s and as many as 350 companies including Elon Musk's SpaceX are working with NASA.