SpaceX’s Crew Dragon passed a huge ground simulation test this week, moving it one step closer to one day carrying astronauts to the International Space Station.
The Crew Dragon avionics seamlessly passed a test for the first time where both the capsule’s hardware and software worked all together to simulate a mission. The test took place in Hawthorne, California.
“It may not sound exciting, but it’s a really, really important tool. We can basically fly the Crew Dragon on the ground — flip the switches, touch the screens, test the algorithms and the batteries – all before testing the avionics system in flight,” said Hans Koenigsmann, vice president of mission assurance for SpaceX.
