SpaceX Pushes Ahead Toward The ISS

SpaceX: Commercial Crew Transport To The International Space Station

"With the government acting as a catalyst, the commercial spaceflight industry is already developing into an exciting new driver of technological innovation, job creation and economic growth. A recent industry survey by the Commercial Spaceflight Federation projects that more than 5,000 direct jobs, including jobs in Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, Texas, and Virginia, would be created over the next five years if the NASA proposal is approved. Thousands of additional jobs would be created indirectly."

SpaceX Status Report on Falcon 9/Dragon

"While the maximum reliability is designed into our vehicles, there is no substitute for recent, relevant flight experience when it comes to demonstrating flight safety. The Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to fly at least 11 more times and the Falcon 9 launch vehicle is scheduled to fly 17 times before the first Dragon crew flight. Given the extensive manifest of Falcon 9 and Dragon, the SpaceX system will mature before most other systems will be developed."