SpaceX’s Dragon ready to give space station a boost for first time
Cargo Dragon will complete a reboot demonstration this week, using its Draco thrusters to increase the space station's attitude in orbit. SpaceX engineers say data from this first test will help it develop a vehicle to end the space station -- at the request of NASA.
What is the International Space Station?
The International Space Station (ISS) has hosted astronauts living and working in space for more than two decades, making groundbreaking contributions to technology and medicine along the way.
SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft will do something different during its latest stay at the International Space Station, in a test setting up the company to ultimately destroy the orbiting laboratory – at the request of NASA – when the international program ends.
As soon as Friday, the Cargo Dragon, which arrived earlier this week with 6,000 pounds of fresh foods, supplies, and science, will complete a reboot demonstration, using its Draco thrusters to increase the space station's attitude in orbit.
Previously, Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft and Russia’s Progress spacecraft have completed these maneuvers to raise the space station's position in orbit.
"This is an important flight test objective for this mission as we continue to increase the capabilities of all the vehicles on ISS," said Bill Spetch, operations and integration manager with NASA’s International Space Station program.
SpaceX's Cargo Dragon approaches the International Space Station for docking in 2021. (Credits: ESA/NASA–T. Pesquet)
SpaceX will use Dragon's aft-control Draco engines, firing the thrusters for about 12.5 minutes before handing control back to ISS.
Jared Metter, director of flight and reliability at SpaceX, said the data from this test will help the company develop the deorbit vehicle to end the space station's time in low-Earth orbit.
In July, NASA awarded SpaceX a $843 million contract to develop a deorbit vehicle to help the space station position itself to avoid populated areas as it is pulled down through Earth's atmosphere and burns up.
"The data that we’re going to collect from this reboost and attitude control demonstration will be very helpful in forming SpaceX’s analysis on how the system performs, and this data is going to lead to future capabilities, namely the U.S. deorbit vehicle," Metter said.
The International Space Station.
(NASA)
SPACEX POLARIS DAWN CREW SPLASHES DOWN OFF FLORIDA COAST
The ISS is a collaboration between 15 countries and five space agencies. Europe, Japan, Canada and the U.S. are committed to operating the station through 2030. Russia plans to continue operations through at least 2028, according to NASA. However, all five space agencies are responsible for the safe deorbit of the space station.
When SpaceX is done developing the deorbit spacecraft, NASA will take over ownership after development and operate it to destroy the ISS safely.