A SpaceX capsule carrying four astronauts on Thursday (11/11) successfully docked at the International Space Station, which will be their new home until next spring.
The capsule, named Dragon, takes about 21 hours to reach the International Space Station. The capsule flight started from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Three astronauts from the US and one from Germany who joined the group said it was an emotional moment for them when they first got to see the space station.
“What a beautiful sight,” said King Chari, the commander of the Dragon capsule.
“Floating in space and shining like a diamond,” said German astronaut Matthias Maurer. “We are all very happy, very excited,” he added.
All Dragon flights are automated, with Chari and pilot Tom Marshburn monitoring the systems inside the capsule, and ready to take control if needed.
At one point, they reported what appeared to be a knob or perhaps a small mechanical nut floating past their camera’s field of view, but SpaceX Mission Control says that shouldn’t be a problem. The capsule rests at an altitude of 423 kilometers above the eastern region of the Caribbean Islands.
The new crew of the Dragon capsule will only spend about six months on the space station and during that period they will receive two groups of visiting tourists. Russia will launch the first group of tourists in December and SpaceX the second in February 2022. [lt/ps]
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