Over the weekend , SpaceX ’s Crew Dragon spacecraftsuccessfully dockedwith the International Space Station ( ISS ) pave the direction for astronauts flying to outer space from American dirt , something that has n’t been done since the Space Shuttle , which last wing in July 2011 .
The weekend launch had no crowd on board as it was a trial mission called Demo-1 , but it was an important milestone . This is a first - of - its - sort test of a commercially built crew vehicle to the ISS . The capsule connected to the space place after 18 ambit of Earth . It was attached to the ISS at 5:51am EST on Sunday after having left Cape Canaveral in the former hr of Saturday .
“ Today ’s successful launch pock a new chapter in American excellency , getting us closer to once again flying American astronauts on American rocket engine from American filth , ” said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine in apress statementon Saturday .
“ I proudly congratulate the SpaceX and NASA teams for this major milestone in our nation ’s space history . This first launch of a space system designed for man , and construct and operated by a commercial company through a public - private partnership , is a rotatory step on our path to get humans to the Moon , Mars and beyond . ”
The ejector seat use unexampled sensing element systems , a new propulsion organisation , and the new international docking mechanism that was instal on the ISS in August 2016 but had not been used since . While there was no crew on circuit card , the mission did have a passenger , a test dummy nicknamed Ripley , who recorded valuable data point for engineers and scientists at NASA and SpaceX.
The missionary work deliver 180 kilograms ( 400 pounds ) of supply to the ISS and will be bringing important enquiry samples back to Earth . When fully operating the space vehicle is expected to take four astronauts and comport over 100 kilogram ( 220 pounds ) of loading to place .
Elon Musk , chief executive officer and lead clothes designer at SpaceX , expressed gratitude to all those involve , peculiarly NASA .
“ First a note of appreciation to the SpaceX squad . It has been 17 years to get to this point , 2002 to now , and an incredible amount of hard work and sacrifice from a lot of people that got us to this dot , " hesaid . " I ’d also care to give tongue to swell appreciation for NASA . SpaceX would not be here without NASA , without the incredible employment that was done before SpaceX even started and without the supporting after SpaceX did start up . ”
The Crew Dragon will remain docked for only five day . other Friday first light it will come away and begin its extraction to Earth .
