Nasa greenlights SpaceX crew capsule test to ISS

WASHINGTON: Nasa on Friday gave SpaceX the green light to test a new crew capsule by first sending an unmanned craft with a life-sized mannequin to the International Space Station.

"We’re go for launch, we’re go for docking," said William Gerstenmaier, the associate administrator with Nasa Human Exploration and Operations.

A Falcon 9 rocket from the private US-based SpaceX is scheduled to lift off, weather permitting, on March 2 to take the Crew Dragon test capsule to the ISS.

Nasa signed contracts in 2014 with SpaceX and Boeing for the companies to shuttle US astronauts to the ISS.

This will be the first time the US space agency lets a private-sector company transport their astronauts.