SpaceX capsules parked side-by-part at station for 1st time
A SpaceX source ship bearing Xmas goodies attained the International Space Station on Mon, parking together with another Dragon capsule that carried up astronauts three weeks ago.
It’s the 1st time Elon Musk’s company offers two Dragons at the orbiting laboratory, filling both available slot machine games.
Unlike SpaceX’s earlier cargo carriers, which needed to be plucked from orbit by the area station’s robot arm, this larger and updated model docked all by itself a day after rocketing into orbit from NASA’s Kennedy Space Middle. This unusually large shipment - exceeding 6,400 pounds (2,900 kilograms) - includes experiments, equipment, Holiday presents and the makings for any occasion feast for the seven station astronauts.
The crew monitored all of the action as the capsule pulled up and docked at the station a lot more than 260 miles (420 kilometers) higher than the Indian Ocean. Both Dragon parking locations are just 15 legs (4.5 meters) roughly apart.
NASA astronaut Kate Rubins offered “a huge congratulations” to SpaceX and everybody else involved.
“It’s fairly amazing to feel that less than a month ago you docked four crew people," radioed Rubins, a microbiologist and among four Americans up to speed. "And today you're bringing a vehicle full of top notch science for all of us to execute.”
The crew also contains two Russians and one Japanese.
SpaceX redesigned its cargo ships to end up being as large as its spacious crew capsules so that you can pack more in.
The cargo Dragon will stay at the area station for per month, before parachuting in to the Atlantic with science samples and discarded gear. The crew Dragon will remain up until spring.
Source: japantoday.com
