NASA to announce astronauts assigned to first commercial crew vehicles

HOUSTON – One week from Friday, NASA will announce the astronauts assigned to the first commercial crew vehicles developed by two companies.

The astronauts will fly in the first flight tests of the Boeing Starliner and the SpaceX Crew Dragon.

NASA’s administrator will be in Houston for the announcement at the Johnson Space Center.

NASA awarded contracts to the two companies to build spaceships to carry crews to the International Space Station.

Since the retirement of the space shuttle seven years ago, the Unites States has purchased expensive seats on Russian rockets to get American astronauts to the space station.

Houston’s space reporter, KPRC's Ryan Korsgard, will be there when NASA makes the announcement.