--- title: NASA Orders SpaceX Mission to International Space Station description: NASA approves another commercial space mission canonical: https://time.com/4123138/spacex-nasa-iss-space-station-astronaut/ author: Charlotte Alter article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-11-20T22:59:02.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-22T12:49:18.329Z article:section: Science og:title: NASA Orders SpaceX Mission to International Space Station og:description: NASA approves another commercial space mission og:url: https://time.com/4123138/spacex-nasa-iss-space-station-astronaut/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt20b8b1561afdfa5d/6988724f8e06016a8146372c/spacex-nasa-international-space-station.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: spacex-nasa-international-space-station og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: NASA Orders SpaceX Mission to International Space Station twitter:description: NASA approves another commercial space mission twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt20b8b1561afdfa5d/6988724f8e06016a8146372c/spacex-nasa-international-space-station.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # SpaceX Will Officially Carry Astronauts to the Space Station  by [Charlotte Alter](https://time.com/author/charlotte-alter/)  ## Charlotte Alter Senior Correspondent Nov 20, 2015 10:59 PM UTC  Space X's Falcon 9 rocket as it lifts off from space launch complex 40 at Cape Canaveral, Florida June 28, 2015 with a Dragon CRS7 spacecraft. Space X's Falcon 9 rocket as it lifts off from space launch complex 40 at Cape Canaveral, Florida June 28, 2015 with a Dragon CRS7 spacecraft.BRUCE WEAVER—AFP/Getty Images  by [Charlotte Alter](https://time.com/author/charlotte-alter/)  ## Charlotte Alter Senior Correspondent Nov 20, 2015 10:59 PM UTC NASA [announced Friday](http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-orders-spacex-crew-mission-to-international-space-station) that it has placed a mission order for SpaceX to carry astronauts to the International Space Station, after a recent order for Boeing to bring astronauts into space. The announcement is just a formal request for the first of four missions NASA has already guaranteed to SpaceX, so it’s not entirely unexpected. But it does mean that NASA has enough confidence in SpaceX after[ last year’s disastrous SpaceX ](http://nypost.com/2015/08/07/congress-wants-nasas-take-on-spacex-crash/)rocket crash to move forward with the plan. Boeing got their order six months ago. NASA says that commercial space flight could increase the research capabilities on the International Space Station. Astronauts wanting to get to the ISS must currently hitch a ride with the Russian Federal Space Agency, which comes with [astronomical costs](http://www.cbsnews.com/news/nasa-seats-on-russian-rockets-will-cost-u-s-490-million/). 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