Boeing has revealed plans for their new Crew Space Transportation (CST-100) spacecraft for the first time.
This sleek design looks like it could have come straight off the movie set of a science fiction movie. Instead of a trip to meet aliens, the CST-100 will serve to bring astronauts to the International Space Station. The aerospace manufacturer displayed a mock-up of the future capsule on 30 April at a conference, held in Las Vegas.
Unlike the clunky-looking shuttle, the interior of the CST-100 is clean, with rounded, smooth surfaces. A soothing blue light fills the crew compartment.
"A familiar daytime blue sky scene helps passengers maintain their connection with Earth," Rachelle Ornan of Boeing told the press.
This possible replacement for the Space Shuttle is expected to make its maiden launch in 2017. This is about the same time several other competing vehicles are also expected to become operational.
NASA may be the first major customer for the new spacecraft, but Boeing hopes to extend their service to commercial travelers in the near future. With this in mind, designers modeled headrests after those used on the Boeing 787.
"It's exciting to see exactly what can happen when the full resources of the company are pulled together - truly 'One Boeing,'" Randy Tinseth, vice president of marketing for Boeing, wrote on his official blog.
The CST-100 is designed to launch to space aboard an Atlas 5 rocket. The boosters will be expended during the course of each flight.
"There is a possibility of actually having nine seats in the lower section, with a seat that has been raised in the capsule for the pilot station - so that's a total of 10," Rick Fraker, an industrial designer for Boeing, told the press.
For flights which require the transport of significant cargo, seats can be replaced with storage bins. A window above the pilot's chair allows a view of the outside, and passengers are able to catch magnificent views of the outside on a digital display.
"A tenet of Boeing Commercial Airplanes' philosophy is that you provide a view to the outside. It is very important for connecting airline passengers to the magic of flight. We attempted to do something similar," Ornan told Space.com.
Designers of the CST-100 took into account that people - especially space tourists - will want to spend a significant amount of time floating around in the microgravity environment. To accommodate this desire, open space was maximized in the vehicle, allowing passengers to fly free.
