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Dragon Rendezvous With ISS Set for Sunday
by Staff Writers
Houston TX (SPX) Mar 04, 2013


In this photo posted on Twitter by Flight Engineer Chris Hadfield, the SpaceX Dragon cargo vehicle soars over sub-Saharan Africa during the approach to the International Space Station. Image credit: NASA.

45th Space Wing Supports Second SpaceX Launch for NASA's Commercial
Cape Canaveral FL (SPX) - Space Exploration Technologies' (SpaceX) completed a successful launch of their Falcon 9 Dragon spacecraft, called Dragon CRS 2, from Space Launch Complex 40 here Friday at 10:10 a.m. EDT with safety and range support provided by service members assigned to the 45 Space Wing.

A combined team of military, government civilians and contractors from across the 45th Space Wing provided support to the mission, including weather forecasts, launch and range operations, security, safety and public affairs. The wing also provided its network of radar, telemetry, optical and communications instrumentation to facilitate a safe launch on the Eastern Range.

This is the second of 12 re-supply missions to the International Space Station by Space X. The commander of the 45th Space Wing, who also served as the Launch Decision Authority for this historic launch, praised the work of all those involved in making this launch a success. "We applaud SpaceX and NASA for their great work; and we also praise the teamwork between our wing and all our mission partners involved in making this mission a success," said Brig. Gen. Anthony Cotton, commander, 45th Space Wing.

International Space Station Program and SpaceX managers Saturday gave the go-ahead for the SpaceX's Dragon cargo vehicle to rendezvous with the station on Sunday, March 3.

The station's Mission Management Team unanimously agreed that Dragon's propulsion system is operating normally along with its other systems and ready to support the rendezvous two days after Friday's launch on a Falcon 9 rocket from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

Dragon is scheduled to be captured Sunday at 6:01 a.m. EST by NASA Expedition 34 Commander Kevin Ford and NASA Flight Engineer Tom Marshburn. Once grappled, Dragon will be installed onto the Earth-facing port of the Harmony module by ground experts at mission control in Houston. The cargo vehicle will be bolted into place through commands by Flight Engineer Chris Hadfield of the Canadian Space Agency.

The operation of time-critical scientific experiments being delivered to the station on Dragon will be reviewed during the course of berthed operations to ensure that all planned investigations are completed. Despite the one-day delay in Dragon's arrival at the station, its unberthing, release and splashdown remain planned for Monday, March 25.

SpaceX officials reported to the multinational management team that all of Dragon's systems are operating as planned in the wake of the temporary loss of three of four banks of thrusters after Dragon separated from the Falcon 9 rocket Friday. The time required to recover normal operation of all 18 Draco thrusters and verify their readiness caused the one-day delay.

SpaceX said it has high confidence there will be no repeat of the thruster problem during rendezvous, including its capability to perform an abort, should that be required.

NASA TV coverage of rendezvous and grapple on Sunday, March 3 will begin at 3:00 a.m. Eastern time. Coverage of berthing operations on NASA TV will begin at 7:30 a.m.

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Related Links
SpaceX
Station at NASA
Station and More at Roscosmos
S.P. Korolev RSC Energia
Watch NASA TV via Space.TV
Space Station News at Space-Travel.Com






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