SpaceX takeoff from Cape Canaveral in Florida to the ISS on May 30, 2020. – John Raoux / AP / SIPA
The capsule of SpaceX Crew Dragon safely docked with the International Space Station a few minutes ahead of schedule on Sunday, after approximately 19 hours of travel, with two NASA astronauts on board, a crucial milestone for this historic mission.
Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, who took off aboard a SpaceX rocket the day before from Florida, are the first astronauts to join
the ISS, 400 km from Earth. The Crew Dragon pod docked at the ISS at 2:16 p.m. GMT. “Mooring confirmed”, confirmed the company created by
Elon MuskAnd NASA.
Docking confirmed – Crew Dragon has arrived at the @space_station! pic.twitter.com/KiKBpZ8R2H
– SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 31, 2020
“The whole world has followed this mission”
Numerous checks and adjustments were then made, and about three hours later, the capsule hatch was opened. Then, the two NASA astronauts were able to enter the international space station. It was there that the two best friends, former military pilots, met the current residents of the station, their fellow American Chris Cassidy and two Russian astronauts, for a group photo.
“The whole world has followed this mission and we are so, so proud of everything you have done for our country, and in reality to inspire the world”, congratulated them from Earth the boss of The NASA, 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.
Towards the end of American dependence on the Russians
Initially planned for Friday, the launch of the SpaceX rocket had to be postponed overnight due to threatening weather and lightning. So on Saturday in Florida, SpaceX became the first private company to launch astronauts into
space, a historic success which offers the United States a new means of space transport, after nine years of interruption.
Since the end of the space shuttles in 2011, Russian rockets have sent the Americans to the ISS, which travels at 27,000 km / h around the Earth.
The NASA loaded SpaceXDevelop 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. SpaceX has promised NASA six round trips to the ISS for three billion dollars, with four astronauts on board.
SpaceX has promised NASA six round trips to the ISS for four billion dollars, granted since 2011 under a fixed-price contract, 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.
Dear @JimBridenstine, it’s safe to congratulate you at this point with a successful launch and docking. Well done! I know how anxious you were for this major event to become a success. I wish @NASA team to successfully finish up reconstructing its national space transportation system
– Дмитрий Рогозин (@Rogozin) May 31, 2020
A first step for SpaceX, before the conquest of Mars
SpaceX has been shipping cargo to the ISS since 2012, but this is the first time NASA has given it 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 President of the United States 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.
For this visionary entrepreneur, obsessed with the red planet, this is “a first step in our journey to establish a civilization on Mars”, and to make humanity a “multiplanetary species”.
