The two NASA astronauts transported by the SpaceX capsule entered the international space station on Sunday, a new milestone successfully completed for this mission which marks the return of American transport to the ISS after nine years of interruption.
“We are so proud”
Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, who took off aboard a Falcon 9 rocket the day before from Florida, are the first astronauts to reach the station, 400 km from Earth, using a vehicle from a private company.
The Crew Dragon capsule docked at the ISS at 2:16 p.m. GMT, a few minutes ahead of schedule, after approximately 19 hours of travel. Numerous checks and adjustments were then made, and about three hours later, the capsule hatch was opened.
The two best friends, former military pilots, then found the current residents of the station, their American compatriot Chris Cassidy and two Russian astronauts, for a collective photo.
“The whole world has followed this mission and we are so, so proud of all that you have done for our country, and in reality to inspire the world”, congratulated them from Earth, NASA boss Jim Bridenstine, right after their arrival.
“It has been an honor to be part of this nine-year effort since the last time an American vehicle docked at the international space station,” said Doug Hurley, 53, after the successful docking.
Since the end of the space shuttles in 2011, only Russian rockets have sent the Americans to the ISS, which travels at 27,000 km / h around the Earth.
NASA has commissioned SpaceX to develop a new space taxi, and if this mission – which could last until August – is certified safe, the Americans will no longer depend on the Russians for access to space.
For three billion dollars, granted since 2011 as part of a fixed price contract, SpaceX promised NASA six round trips to the ISS, with four astronauts on board.
The head of the Russian space agency, Dmitri Rogozin, congratulated Sunday on Twitter Jim Bridenstine, as well as the founder of SpaceX, Elon Musk: “I wish the NASA teams to successfully finish rebuilding its national transport system” , he wrote.
First stage
SpaceX has already been delivering cargo to the ISS since 2012, but this is the first time that NASA has entrusted it with its most precious resource: its astronauts.
“Today’s launch demonstrates that the future belongs to the private space industry,” said Donald Trump, who witnessed the rocket’s takeoff from the Kennedy Space Center in person on Saturday.
The American president applauded the founder of SpaceX, who was very moved at the conference following the launch. “I find it hard to speak, we’ve been working with this goal for 18 years. I can hardly believe it happened, ”said Elon Musk. (AFP / Le Matin)
Created: 05.31.2020, 8:06 p.m.
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