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Kennedy Space Center (United States) (AFP)
The “Crow Dragon” capsule of the “Space X” group, which transports human crews into space on behalf of the United States Space Agency (NASA), is expected to reach the International Space Station early Saturday, carrying four astronauts, including the French. Thomas Pescet.
The pod, called “Endeavor,” will bind to the “Harmony” unit around 5:00 p.m. EST (9:10 a.m. GMT). NASA will be live streaming the event and the ceremony to welcome newcomers to the station.
In addition to Thomas Pisquet of the European Space Agency, the crew of the “Crew-2” mission includes American astronauts Shane Kimbroh, Megan MacArthur and Japanese Akihiko Hoshide.
This is the third such mission carried out by this private company, “SpaceX”, since the United States resumed human space flights.
The vehicle took off at dawn Friday from the Kennedy Space Center, to applause in the “Space X” control room.
“It’s wonderful to be back in space,” Kimbero said as she stepped into orbit. Note that all four astronauts have been on space trips before.
Internet users could see the four astronauts applauding enthusiastically as they entered orbit thanks to the camera of their “Dragon” spacecraft.
The top of the Falcon 9 missile separated and landed on a platform at sea.
“We are at the dawn of a new era of space exploration,” commented Elon Musk, founder of “Space X” and of the automaker “Tesla”. This take-off marks another victory for the Musk companies.
Recycling and reuse
“SpaceX” is cooperating with “NASA” in the field of space transportation, at a time when Boeing’s “Starliner” is accumulating delays on its test flights.
The success of the first manned test flight of “SpaceX” in May 2020 ended the Russian monopoly on flights to the International Space Station and gave the Americans back the possibility of completing this work after the end of the space shuttle program. “Shuttle” in 2011.
The crew said goodbye to their loved ones before boarding three white Tesla cars, which has become a tradition for the “SpaceX” company, which transported them to the launch pad.
The words “recycle”, “reuse” and “reduce” are written in English on all three car license plates, indicating that the mission is to reuse items that were previously used.
And this flight set a precedent using the engine that was used in the first experimental unmanned mission, noting that the “Crow Dragon” spacecraft is the same one used in the manned test flight last May.
– Golden age –
With this trip, Pisque became the first European to fly a “Crow Dragon” capsule.
The European Space Agency called the mission “Alpha”, in reference to “Alpha Centauri”, the star system closest to our solar system.
“This is really a golden age for us in terms of exploration operations on the International Space Station,” Frank de Vigny, director of the International Space Station program at the European Space Agency, told AFP.
The German Matthias Maurer will be the next European to participate in the “Space X” mission this fall, followed by the Italian Samanta Cristoforetti next spring.
“Three European astronauts in a row on the International Space Station are unique to us,” said Joseph Ashbacher, director of the European Space Agency.
During its six-month mission, the team will be responsible for carrying out around 100 scientific experiments. One of the favorites, according to Thomas Pisquet, is examining the effects of weightlessness on brain organelles (tiny brains built in the lab).
Scientists hope this research will help space agencies prepare for missions in which astronauts face space challenges for long periods of time, and even help fight brain disease on Earth.
© 2021 AFP
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