File Photo: SpaceX CEO Elon Musk gives the opening keynote at the SXSW Interactive in Austin, Texas.
Hawthrone, California:
Billionaire Elon Musk has taken the wraps off a new spacecraft designed to ferry up to seven astronauts to the International Space Station.
The unveiling of the cone-headed craft dubbed Dragon V2 occurred Thursday evening at the Southern California headquarters of Musk's company, SpaceX.
Musk calls the new spacecraft a big leap forward in technology.
SpaceX is one of several private companies competing to build "space taxis" for NASA to replace the retired space shuttle fleet. It previously flew four cargo missions to the space station, delivering food and supplies.
NASA has been relying on Russian Soyuz rockets to carry astronauts to low-Earth orbit until a commercial spacecraft is ready to take over the task.
The unveiling of the cone-headed craft dubbed Dragon V2 occurred Thursday evening at the Southern California headquarters of Musk's company, SpaceX.
Musk calls the new spacecraft a big leap forward in technology.
SpaceX is one of several private companies competing to build "space taxis" for NASA to replace the retired space shuttle fleet. It previously flew four cargo missions to the space station, delivering food and supplies.
NASA has been relying on Russian Soyuz rockets to carry astronauts to low-Earth orbit until a commercial spacecraft is ready to take over the task.
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