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Health & Science2h 55m ago

NASA relied on private companies like SpaceX to provide resupply and crew transport to the International Space Station after the Space Shuttle retired in 2011.

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International Space Station (ISS), Kennedy Space Center, Kazakhstan, Hawthorne (California), Virginia

Who
NASA, SpaceX, Orbital Sciences, Boeing, Roscosmos, European Space Agency, JAXA, Canadian Space Agency
What
NASA relied on private companies like SpaceX to provide resupply and crew transport to the International Space Station after the Space Shuttle retired in 2011.
When
Mon, 15 Jun 2026 13:55:09 GMT · 2h 55m ago
Where
International Space Station (ISS), Kennedy Space Center, Kazakhstan, Hawthorne (California), Virginia ·
Why
After the Space Shuttle retired in 2011 due to being expensive, aging, and involvement in two catastrophic accidents, the US lost its independent means to transport astronauts and cargo to the ISS.
The Frontline Impact

How this affects you

The gap in American-led space transport to the ISS led to reliance on Russian Soyuz capsules at significant cost and contributed to the rise of private aerospace companies filling critical roles for government space programs. This shift has changed how access to space is maintained and developed.

Story chain

5 events in this thread
  1. Health & Science2h 55m ago
    For nearly nine years after the Space Shuttle retired, American astronauts relied on Russian Soyuz capsules to reach the International Space Station, until a private company closed this gap.
    Open article
  2. Currently Reading2h 55m ago
    NASA relied on private companies like SpaceX to provide resupply and crew transport to the International Space Station after the Space Shuttle retired in 2011.
  3. Health & Science3h 20m ago
    NASA continues to rely solely on SpaceX's Crew Dragon for American crewed access to the International Space Station, as Boeing's Starliner remains grounded following its 2024 test flight and subsequent issues.
    Open article
  4. Health & Science3h 20m ago
    NASA continues to rely solely on SpaceX's Crew Dragon for American crewed access to the International Space Station, despite original plans for two commercial providers.
    Open article
  5. Health & Science3h 20m ago
    NASA currently has only one American-built, human-rated system, SpaceX's Crew Dragon, to transport astronauts to and from the International Space Station.
    Open article

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