Crew Dragon officially join International Space Station crew after successful docking

US astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken have now opened the hatch to the International Space Station at 1:02 pm ET of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule which successfully docked with the ISS at 10:16 am ET on May 31. The Crew Dragon is the fifth spaceship to have been parked at the station, but only the first to be manufactured by a private company.

In a joint venture by NASA and SpaceX, the Crew Dragon capsule blasted off into space on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 on May 30 at 3:22 pm ET and at least 19 hours later, Hurley and Behnken will now join the crew already on board at ISS. 

Watch inside the ISS:

Watch the exact moment of Crew Dragon docking to the ISS here:

According to reports, Crew Dragon’s linkup was automatic and it has occurred at least 422 kilometres above the China-Mongolia border. Since the capsule was safely docked to the Space Station, congratulatory messages have been flowing in for the astronauts and the teams working behind the mission. SpaceX Mission Control said from California, “Congratulations on a phenomenal accomplishment and welcome to the International Space Station.”

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'Magnificient history'

The historic ‘Launch America’ enabled a privately built and owned spacecraft to carry US astronauts to the orbiting lab for the first time. NASA, as well as the US government, has regarded the entire launch an opening volley in a business revolution not only on Earth but also expanding it to outer space. NASA’s Mission Control also said on the radio to everyone at Houston, “Bravo on a magnificent moment in spaceflight history.” The docking has occurred minutes earlier as it was previously speculated to be happening at 10:29 am ET. 

According to the US President Donald Trump, the Crew Dragon blasting off into the orbit with space veterans Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken is “first big space message in 50 years”. He credited himself for the same by saying it was an “honour to deliver” it. Trump also called the ‘Launch America’ program as the country's “bold and triumphant return to space” with a “spectacular” and an “unforgettable” launch. Pushing for optimism amid a global health crisis, the US President said that there is “nothing” that the country can not achieve if all Americans unite for the cause. 

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Image Source: AP