Dragon arrives at space station in historic 1st

Yahoo news ^ | 25 May 2012 | MARCIA DUNN

[mandaladon]

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The privately bankrolled Dragon capsule arrived at the International Space Station for a historic docking Friday, captured by astronauts wielding a giant robot arm.

It succeeded in making the first commercial delivery into the cosmos.

U.S. astronaut Donald Pettit used the space station's 58-foot robot arm to snare the gleaming white Dragon after a few hours of extra checks and maneuvers. The two vessels came together while sailing above Australia.

"Looks like we've got us a dragon by the tail," Pettit announced from 250 miles up once he locked onto Dragon's docking mechanism.

"You've made a lot of folks happy down here over in Hawthorne and right here in Houston," radioed NASA's Mission Control. "Great job guys."

NASA controllers clapped as their counterparts at SpaceX's control center in Hawthorne, Calif. — including SpaceX's billionaire maestro, Elon Musk, of PayPal fame — lifted their arms in triumph and jumped out of their seats to exchange high fives.

This is the first time a private company has attempted to send a vessel to the space station, an achievement previously reserved for a small, elite group of government agencies. And it's the first U.S. craft to visit the station since the final shuttle flight last July.

The astronauts wasted no time getting the Dragon capsule into position for actual docking to the space station. The unmanned capsule is carrying 1,000 pounds of supplies on this unprecedented test flight.

[cruise_missile]

I really don’t get what the big deal is here. Orbital launched private satellites almost twenty years ago. Up to 1000 pounds.

http://www.orbital.com/spacelaunch/pegasus/

[a fool in paradise]

[jboot]

I hear ya. The world is getting too small. When our forefathers were oppressed, they took the sailing ships to the unknown New World and never looked back. I dare anyone to call them cowards. But now the New World has the Same Old Problems and there is no place left to go.

Down here, that is.

[dragnet2]

Absolutely!

There are a few things where I support government involvement, which is the military, protection of our homeland/borders and limited involvement/support in space exploration.

Excellent post BTW!

[Moonman62]

Congratulations to African American, Elon Musk.

[thackney]

I really don’t get what the big deal is here.

This is the commercial space vehicle pressurized with the design of carrying people and bringing them back.

The first proving flight doesn't involve passengers, but it will in the future.

[wastedyears]

It’s also the first private spacecraft to berth with the International Space Station, as well.

[jboot]

Thanks! IMHO, the government’s commission in space is covered by the Preamble, i.e. providing for the common defense. Like it or not, space is a full-fledged combat theatre. Even if we concede space, others won’t. Engagement is the only option consistant with survival.

[dragnet2]

You’re welcome.

And I understand that and why I support limited government involvement in space exploration endeavors and of course military defense.

[dragnet2]

You bet, and by the way, Musk is a legal U.S. Citizen and actually resides in Ronald Reagan’s old neighborhood.

[Ron C.]

I'm fascinated with space exploration. Since the beginning of landing two rovers on Mars I've watched those rovers every day - and you can still see the latest movements and activities of the rover Opportunity at this link, still doing research, still taking pictures and sending them back to earth.

And NASA is mere months away from sending a far more sophisticated rover to mars.

But, I seriously doubt that many alive today will ever see 'civilization' becoming space-faring - i.e. establishing colonies on other planets.

[Ron C.]

A P.S. to my last... you'll see posts there from 'Paolo' - the guy (one of) driving Opportunity around, who answers questions and tells folks about the rovers activities.

It's an astounding website.

[dragnet2]

Watch them get this 2000 pound vehicle on the Martian surface

I know you've seen this Ron, but others should watch the video at bottom of this post. It's very cool.

Taken during mobility testing, this image is of the Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.

Curiosity lands on the surface of Mars in about 2 months, August, 2012.

I suggest others watch this Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover Animation, about the mission. The video is only 11 minutes long, and well worth the watch.

Enlarge the screen and turn up the volume.

How they are going to get Curiosity onto the surface of Mars

The video which will be sent back from this vehicle traveling around the surface of Mars, will be spectacular.

[GeronL]

awesome

[DoughtyOne]

I’m actually glad that there are two businesses out there working toward these goals. These could be the start of much much more than we realize. With a little experience, these firms may blossom into full blown space access for man as well. Looking forward to the next few years.

[Vaquero]

I watched it for hours from 150 meters away, until final berth. Veteran US Astronaut Don Pettit, (who discovered that microgravity can turn a field of dust into a moon or planet, some years ago on another mission), captured it with the Canada arm, and lowered it into its berth...and was tightened down.

slow and steady...pretty cool.

[Da Bilge Troll]

Gov’t and the Left will attempt to control it and get their cut.

The government will most likely continue to control the boosters. After all, the main difference between an orbital booster and an ICBM is the payload.

[Cementjungle]

The capsule comes back later with about 1300 lbs of trash, old equipment, etc....

I thought they could just send their trash to the giant incinerator in the sky (just jettison it toward the earth and let it burn up in the atmosphere).

[JRandomFreeper]

One of the major problems with space is all the crap we've dumped up there over the last 50 years. It's still in orbit. Dead satellites, paint chips, a friggin' tool bag, lots of junk. Danger to navigation. Better to bring it back in a controlled manner.

/johnny

[JRandomFreeper]

The government will most likely continue to control the boosters.

Only to the extent of flight authorizations, etc....

Actual technical control of the Falcon 9 during the launch was from Space-X.

/johnny