The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Capsule test astronauts set foot on space station
● Nasa crew welcomed aboard ISS after docking in SpaceX Dragon
Nasa astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken have set foot on the International Space Station (ISS), more than two hours after docking with the orbiting laboratory.
The pair had to wait for pressure and leak checks to be completed before exiting the Crew Dragon capsule.
They were greeted by fellow American Chris Cassidy as well as two other space station residents, Russia cosmonauts Anatoli Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner, as they made their way out of their spacecraft.
Both are now officially members of the Expedition 63 crew.
Mr Hurley and Mr Behnken began their 19hour journey on SpaceX’s Dragon capsule on top of the Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral in Florida on Saturday evening.
Although the space station orbits at around 220 miles above the planet, it took almost a day for the Dragon to rendezvous with the moving laboratory.
The spacecraft had to perform a series of manoeuvres to raise its orbit to come close enough to dock at the space station.
The Dragon docked autonomously to a port on the bow section of the station’s Harmony module at 3.16pm UK time, 16 minutes ahead of schedule.
Mr Hurley congratulated the teams at Nasa and SpaceX, saying: “It’s been a real honour to be just a small part of this nineyear endeavour since the last time a United States spaceship has docked with the International Space Station.”
Shortly after the bell rang on the space station to mark the arrival of the Crew Dragon capsule, Mr Cassidy said: “Dragon arriving. The crew of Expedition 63 is honoured to welcome the Dragon and the Commercial Crew Programme.”
He added: “Bob and Doug, glad to have you as part of the crew.”
The mission, named Demo-2, marks the first time Nasa has launched astronauts from US soil in nine years.
SpaceX also made history by becoming the first private company to send humans into orbit.
The aim of the mission is to demonstrate SpaceX’s ability to ferry astronauts to the space station and back safely. It is the final major step required by SpaceX’s astronaut carrier, the Crew Dragon, to get certified by Nasa’s Commercial Crew Programme for long-term manned missions to space.
The mission is expected to last anything between one and four months, with a number of tests being performed on the Dragon.
“It’s imperative that the show goes ahead so you can bet your trolley they are doing their best to get it on.”
Ballas said she has some thoughts on who she would like to see take part, adding: “I have always wanted anyone from the royal family. But it doesn’t have to necessarily be someone that’s in the limelight because what I enjoy the most is getting to know someone’s journey.
“And I know we are going to have some fantastic NHS stories, there is going to be a reflection on the coronavirus and what people have done for communities and I think it’s going to be a real tearjerker.”
Ballas, who has been in lockdown with boyfriend Daniel Taylor, said the crisis has given her a newfound appreciation for the simple things, adding: “I will never take another ballroom for granted again. I will never take any work or shopping for granted.”
“It’s like going to Hollywood or Vegas”