"What we're asking (SpaceX officials) to do is amazing, " William Gerstenmaier, head of NASA's manned space-flight efforts, told reporters recently.

WSJ: SpaceX's Pioneering Flight Plans

Crane has a long history covering innovation, interviewing SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, famed futurist and Google's director of engineering Ray Kurzweil, and NASA's William Gerstenmaier.

CNN: CNN Profiles - Rachel Crane - Correspondent

In his interview two weeks ago, Mr. Musk recalled that William Gerstenmaier, NASA's top manned space official, raised questions about whether additional testing was necessary.

WSJ: SpaceX Acts Fast for New Launch

"This new heavy-lift launch vehicle will make it possible for explorers to reach beyond our current limits, to nearby asteroids, Mars and its moons, and to destinations even farther across our solar system, " William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.

MSN: Giant deep-space rocket passes key test - Technology & science - Space - Space.com | NBC News