Musings of a Recovering Lutheran: The Dragon flies!! 
I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, 

     Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? 

Then said I, Here am I; send me.

Isaiah 6:8 (KJV)

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

The Dragon flies!!

SpaceX successfully launched its Falcon 9 booster this morning. The Dragon spacecraft it was carrying should dock with the International Space Station sometime on May 25. Here is a timeline from the SpaceX website:
  • May 22/Launch Day: SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket launches a Dragon spacecraft into orbit from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
  • May 23: Dragon orbits Earth as it travels toward the International Space Station.
  • May 24: Dragon’s sensors and flight systems are subjected to a series of complicated tests to determine if the vehicle is ready to berth with the space station; these tests include maneuvers and systems checks in which the vehicle comes within 1.5 miles of the station.
  • May 25: NASA decides if Dragon is allowed to attempt berthing with the station. If so, Dragon approaches. It is captured by station’s robotic arm and attached to the station, a feat that requires extreme precision.
  • May 25 - 31: Astronauts open Dragon’s hatch, unload supplies and fill Dragon with return cargo.
  • May 31: After approximately two weeks, Dragon is detached from the station and returns to Earth, landing in the Pacific, hundreds of miles west of Southern California.
UPDATE: Here is the video from the NASA website.
Posted by Recovering Lutheran at 2:45 PM
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