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Historic launch of SpaceX and NASA 1:13
(CNN Business) - Astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley successfully disembarked from SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule and entered the International Space Station.
After a 19-hour trip, SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft docked at the space station at 10:16 am ET on Sunday, after it was launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Saturday. After making initial contact with the ISS, the Crew Dragon followed a series of steps to further dock the spacecraft with its port, including power connection and the creation of an airlock seal, before it opened. the first of the two hatches.
Behnken and Hurley are expected to remain aboard the space station for one to three months, or for a maximum of 110 days.
- LOOK: NASA and SpaceX launch astronauts from US soil for the first time in a decade
On Sunday morning, the spacecraft carefully approached the space station and then made a "soft catch", meaning the Crew Dragon made its first physical contact with its docking port on the International Space Station. The spacecraft subsequently executed a "hard catch," which involved the use of 12 latches to create a watertight seal between Behnken and Hurley's crew cabin and their entrance to the space station, and connected the Crew Dragon's power supply to the ISS.
Behnken and Hurley smiled out of the capsule around 1:15 pm ET. They were greeted by fellow NASA astronaut Christopher Cassidy and Russian cosmonauts Anatoli Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner, who were already aboard the laboratory in orbit.
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine called the station from the space agency's mission control center in Houston, Texas.
"We are very, very proud of everything they have done for our country and, in fact, for inspiring the world," said Bridenstine.
When asked about his 19-hour trip to the space station, Hurley said he "couldn't be happier" about the performance of SpaceX's Crew Dragon.
The astronauts were able to sleep for a few hours, share meals, and use the on-board bathroom during their journey. "The Dragon was an efficient vehicle and we had good airflow, so we had an excellent, excellent night," said Hurley.
The Crew Dragon has a name: Endeavor
Astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley toured their Crew Dragon spacecraft using on-board cameras as the vehicle headed toward the International Space Station on Saturday night.
And they announced a name for the vehicle: Endeavor.
Welcome aboard the @SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft!
In this video from space, @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug reveal the name of their capsule: Endeavor. Take a look inside as the crew continues their journey to the @Space_Station: https://t.co/K9S5mejONx pic.twitter.com/mvH8UhE5FW
- NASA (@NASA) May 31, 2020
Astronauts chose that name for various reasons, Hurley revealed on the Internet broadcast of NASA and SpaceX. For one, the name honors the years-long effort that returned human-powered flights to the United States, after the Space Shuttle retired in 2011. And it honors the long-standing friendship Hurley and Behnken have shared, and their stories. with NASA: Both astronauts began their careers in space flight with missions aboard the space shuttle Endeavor. (The namesake for that vehicle was an 18th-century ship commanded by British explorer James Cook, hence the British spelling of "Endeavor").
A special burden: a shiny dinosaur
NASA and SpaceX have already revealed that a couple of special objects were aboard the Crew Dragon with the astronauts. But live viewers also saw a shiny little dinosaur next to Hurley and Behnken.
During information from orbit on Saturday, the astronauts shared what it was about: They both have young children who are big fans of dinosaurs, and the astronauts allowed their children to vote on which of their toys they would put on this mission.
The selection was a blue and pink sequined Apatosaurus.
What does this milestone mean
The Crew Dragon and astronauts have so far passed two main milestones: launch and dock, without encountering any major issues. That is a great victory for SpaceX, which has been working for this time since the company's founding in 2002.
- MORE: What you need to know about the SpaceX and NASA manned mission
It is also a celebration point for NASA, which made the controversial decision to ask the private sector to design vehicles for transport to the ISS after the space shuttle program was withdrawn in 2011. NASA has long been associated with the private sector, but had never before delivered the design, development, and testing of a human-rated spacecraft to a commercial company.
After delays, development issues, and some political hurdles, a successful first launch of astronauts will mark a major victory for people within the space agency who hope to continue using more extensive business contracts. That includes NASA's ambitions to put people on the Moon in 2024.
International Space StationNASASpaceX
