05/30/2020 - 10:49
- Clarín.com
- international
After a failed attempt on Wednesday, May 27, this Saturday the 30th will mark a historic moment in the 21st century space race. It happens that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and SpaceX , Elon Musk's company , will launch into space the first manned mission of the Crew Dragon ship .
The launch will mark the first trip to orbit in a privately owned vehicle and will be the first manned space flight in nine years - when the space shuttle program ended - from the United States , which will be destined for the International Space Station (ISS). .
In 2014, the NASA assigned him to SpaceX and Boeing 6.800 million (6.235 million euros) in contracts to boost the capacity of the US to fly to the orbiting laboratory without using seats on Russian Soyuz capsules.
The Crew Dragon ship, again prepared for launch this Saturday. Photo: Reuters.
When and where to see the launch
The spacecraft manned by astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley will take off this Saturday from platform 39A of the Kennedy Space Center , in Cape Canaveral , Florida.
The launch will take place at 15:22 (local time). It can be seen at that same time in Chile, Bolivia and Venezuela ; at 4:22 pm in Argentina ; at 21:22 in Spain ; and at 2:22 pm in Mexico and Colombia .
The takeoff can be followed live through the official sites of NASA and SpaceX. In addition, the launch can also be followed from its YouTube channels .
How is the ship?
The Crew Dragon is part of the Commercial Crew Program promoted by NASA with the idea of developing systems for transporting people to space.
The capsule is designed to carry a maximum of seven passengers , but NASA flights will carry less for now as the rest of the space will go towards transporting supplies.
The ship has propellers that allow it to maneuver in space and dock autonomously with the station. Also, unlike previous ships, the cockpit includes commands on touchscreens and not on buttons .