NASA will buy seats on private space missions, not just build its own

NASA is now looking to buy seats on private astronaut missions to the International Space Station, rather than only funding its own crewed flights. This means private companies can now sell space travel services directly to the US government for specific research or operational needs.

For decades, space travel was a government monopoly, with NASA building and operating all crewed missions. This shift means private companies can now compete to provide space transportation and services, opening a new market for commercial spaceflight. It allows NASA to act more like a customer, potentially reducing its own development costs and speeding up access to space for specific projects.