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SpaceX capsule with 4 astronauts reaches space station

SpaceX capsule with 4 astronauts reaches space station

SpaceX capsule with 4 astronauts reaches space station

In this frame grab from NASA TV, the SpaceX Dragon is seen after docking at the International Space Station on Nov 16, 2020. (NASA TV via AP)

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida: SpaceX’s newly launched capsule with four astronauts arrived Monday (Nov 16) at the International Space Station, their new home until spring.

"Dragon SpaceX, soft capture confirmed," said an announcer as the capsule completed its 27.5-hour journey at 11.01pm (12.01pm Tuesday, Singapore time), with the second part of the procedure, "hard capture," occurring a few minutes later.

“Oh, what a good voice to hear,” space station astronaut Kate Rubins called out when the Dragon's commander, Mike Hopkins, first made radio contact. The linkup occurred 422km above Idaho.

This is the second astronaut mission for SpaceX. But it’s the first time Elon Musk’s company delivered a crew for a full half-year station stay. The two-pilot test flight earlier this year lasted two months.

In this frame grab from NASA TV, the SpaceX Dragon capsule approaches the International Space Station on Nov 16, 2020. (NASA TV via AP)

The three Americans and one Japanese astronaut will remain at the orbiting lab until their replacements arrive on another Dragon in April. And so it will go, with SpaceX, and eventually Boeing, transporting astronauts to and from the station for NASA.

This regular taxi service got underway with Sunday night's launch.

READ: SpaceX launches four astronauts to ISS on Sunday

Hopkins and his crew - Victor Glover, Shannon Walker and Japan's Soichi Noguchi - join two Russians and one American who flew to the space station last month from Kazakhstan. Glover is the first African-American to move in for a long haul. A space newcomer, Glover was presented his gold astronaut pin Monday.

The four named their capsule Resilience to provide hope and inspiration during an especially difficult year for the whole world. They broadcast a tour of their capsule Monday, showing off the touchscreen controls, storage areas and their zero gravity indicator: a small plush Baby Yoda.

Walker said it was a little tighter for them than for the two astronauts on the test flight.

In this frame grab from NASA TV, astronauts Mike Hopkins, left, and Victor Glover monitor controls aboard SpaceX Dragon as the capsule approaches the International Space Station on Nov 16, 2020. (NASA TV via AP)

“We sort of dance around each other to stay out of each other's way," she said.

For Sunday's launch, NASA kept guests to a minimum because of coronavirus, and even Musk had to stay away after tweeting that he “most likely” had an infection. He was replaced in his official launch duties by SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell, who assured reporters he was still very much involved with Sunday night's action, although remotely.

READ: SpaceX launches second crew, regular station crew flights begin

As they prepared for the space station linkup, the Dragon crew beamed down live window views of New Zealand and a brilliant blue, cloud-streaked Pacific about 400km below.

“Looks amazing,” Mission Control radioed from SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California.

“It looks amazing from up here, too,” Hopkins replied.

Source: Agencies/ta

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