American ingenuity taking US to new frontier in space: Former NASA exec

SpaceX, United Launch Alliance, Blue Origin and other private businesses are expanding their horizons with a new role in space outside the U.S. government.

"This is American ingenuity taking us to the frontier that we have always held and will continue to hold as we have more launch companies shuttle not just astronauts, but cargo to the International Space Station," former NASA executive Ezinne Uzo-Okoro said during an interview on FOX Business' "Cavuto: Coast to Coast."

On Wednesday, Boeing's Starliner paired with a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, blasted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, to the International Space Station, marking the company's first crewed flight test. 

Uzo-Okoro reacted to Starliner's launch by calling it a "momentous occasion," lauding the success of the teams involved, and weighing in on the growth in space from the private sector. 

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The former NASA executive told FOX Business about how Americans are continuing their push to the stars as more companies are sending astronauts and cargo to the International Space Station. 

"We are in a very exciting and emerging time for the private sector in space, where they are taking over a lot of innovations that are usually done within the government," she said. 

With the launch of Boeing's Starliner being the latest in the private sector to blast into space, the executive remarked how companies are conducting missions separate from the government. 

"This is a great opportunity to start by taking the reins from the government, as we've seen with the previous launch provider, and now we're seeing with Boeing. And the more options, the better," Uzo-Okoro added.

When it comes to the private sector's foray into space, show host Neil Cavuto noted SpaceX's domination in the sector with its Dragon spacecraft missions and asked what it takes to be the leader in the industry.  

"You know, it takes a lot of hard work and money and failing and getting up and being disappointed for just a mere three seconds and then resolving the problem and going again. And that's what you've seen through the efforts of all these resilient teams," Uzo-Okoro responded. 

As these private companies launch crewed missions, the question of selecting astronauts arises. The former executive explained that NASA and military pilots also play roles in these missions as well as private citizens. 

"What you see here are really two threads moving at the same time," she continued. "You have private companies with contracts with NASA providing rides to NASA astronauts who are, you know, very well-trained and are, you know, Marines and Air Force pilots and others, to go to the International Space Station on the other side, you have private citizens."

She added that the majority of the crew are American, with others nations featuring, and that some are recommended to join, pay to fly, and even compete for slots. 

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In one case, the former executive noted that a school teacher took part in a private commercial ride and became an astronaut.

With the private sector's growing opportunity and presence in space, Uzo-Okoro drew comparison to the start of aviation.

"What we're seeing is, again, the beginning of an opportunity quite like the early days of aviation, where very soon your children or grandchildren may be able to go to space on a field trip. And so that's what we're seeing today, the beginnings of that," she  concluded.