Takeoff imminent this Saturday evening for the Crew Dragon capsule, at the top of a Falcon 9 rocket, heading for the International Space Station (ISS). This time, the weather seems favorable for a departure, scheduled for 9:22 p.m. in front of the cameras of the whole world. As a sign that the operation is more likely to succeed than Wednesday: the American president Donald Trump arrived at the Kennedy space center to follow the launch.
Nine years since the United States did not send men into space from their soil. This shows how high the expectations are with a flight that already appears to be crucial. It is also the first time that the launch of a rocket has been entrusted in the world to a private company, the SpaceX company of Elon Musk.
VIDEO. Follow the second attempt to launch Space X
A first attempt had overturned Wednesday because of the risks of thunderstorm in Florida, at the Kennedy space center, where the takeoff takes place. After a long wait, the boss of Nasa and that of SpaceX Elon Musk both confirmed their desire to try again this Saturday. The day before, the probability of launch was still estimated at 50%, still due to weather conditions.
The spatial independence of the United States at stake
Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken were chosen to board the Dragon capsule. The journey of these two friends of twenty years could last a little over two months in total. Equipped with a very futuristic suit, they must reach the international space station, 400 km from Earth, where Russians and Americans have been coming and going since 1998.
For the United States, the stakes are considerable. SpaceX will give the country access to space, low-cost, cheaper than its previous programs. For the three billion granted since 2011, SpaceX has fully developed a new space taxi and promised NASA, its client, six round trips to the ISS. If successful, the Americans could claim to have regained their spatial independence. Since 2011, they had to turn to Russia and its Soyuz vessels, the only space taxis available. Routings from Florida will then become regular, with four astronauts on board.