SpaceX - COTS C-1 Mission patch.
March 3, 2019
Aboard the space station, NASA astronaut Anne McClain, David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency, and Russian cosmonaut and Expedition 58 commander Oleg Kononenko opened the hatch between the Crew Dragon and the orbital laboratory at 8:07 a.m. EST.
The crew members opened the hatch to Crew Dragon following standard leak checks and pressurization since the spacecraft completed its hard dock to the station at 6:02 a.m., the first autonomous docking of any U.S. spacecraft to the International Space Station.
Image above: Expedition 58 crew members enter the SpaceX Crew Dragon for the first time. They are wearing protective gear to avoid breathing particulate matter that may shaken loose during launch. Image Credit: NASA.
In addition to carrying Ripley, an anthropomorphic test device outfitted with sensors to provide data about potential effects on future astronauts who will travel in the Crew Dragon. NASA also sent more than 400 pounds of crew supplies and equipment to the space station, including bulk overwrap bags containing more than 1,000 food and drink packages for the crew.
For operational missions, Crew Dragon will be able to launch as many as four crew members and carry more than 220 pounds of cargo, enabling the expansion of the inhabitants of the space station, increasing the time dedicated to research in the unique microgravity environment, and returning more science back to Earth.
Crew Dragon hatch opening
The Expedition 58 crew members will host a welcoming ceremony for the Crew Dragon that will air on NASA Television and the agency’s website beginning at 10:45 a.m.
Related articles:
SpaceX Crew Dragon Successfully Docks to Station
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2019/03/spacex-crew-dragon-successfully-docks.html
NASA, SpaceX Launch First Flight Test of Space System Designed for Crew
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2019/03/nasa-spacex-launch-first-flight-test-of.html
Related links:
International docking adapter: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/meet-the-international-docking-adapter
Learn more about NASA’s Commercial Crew program at: https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew
Commercial Space: http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/commercial/index.html
International Space Station (ISS): https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html
SpaceX: https://www.spacex.com/
Image (mentioned), Video, Text, Credits: NASA/Mark Garcia/NASA TV/SciNews.
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