Dragon SpX-14 (CRS-14) – Falcon 9 – Canaveral SLC-40 – 02.04.2018 20:30 UTC

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Jonathan McDowell‏Подлинная учетная запись @planet4589 3 ч. назад

The @spacex Dragon CRS-14 cargo ship has manoeuvred to a 400 x 403 km x 51.6 deg orbit on approach to the ISS. Meanwhile, the two ejected solar array covers are in decaying 202 x 335 km orbits.

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04/04/2018 11:24 Stephen Clark

Closing in on the International Space Station a day-and-a-half after lifting off fr om Cape Canaveral, SpaceX's Dragon cargo capsule is set to arrive at the orbiting research complex at 7 a.m. EDT (1100 GMT) Wednesday, when Japanese astronaut Norishige Kanai will capture the supply ship with the station's robotic arm.

Спойлер

The unpiloted Dragon supply ship carries more than 5,800 pounds (2,600 kilograms) of hardware, crew provisions and experiments, including a habitat with 12 rodents for a Japanese research investigation, a Danish-developed instrument to study high-altitude electrical discharges from thunderstorms, and a European smallsat aimed at testing technologies that could eliminate space junk.

Kanai will be assisted by NASA flight engineer Scott Tingle during Dragon's approach and capture operations. Astronaut Ricky Arnold will be monitoring communications between the space station and Dragon. The crew will be on standby to manually issue hold or retreat commands to the Dragon spacecraft, which will be flying on autopilot.

Laser navigation sensors and thermal cameras aboard the Dragon capsule will collect data on the range, closure rate and orientation between the supply ship and the space station.

The Dragon capsule lifted off at 4:30 p.m. EDT (2030 GMT) Monday from Cape Canaveral.

Since liftoff, the cargo craft has completed several orbit adjustments using its rocket thrusters to boost itself to the space station's altitude more than 250 miles (400 kilometers) above Earth.

The Dragon will arrive at a hold point 350 meters -- or 1,150 feet -- below the space station around two hours before its scheduled capture by the robotic arm. The spacecraft will conduct a 180-degree yaw maneuver to align its grapple fixture with the position of the station's robotic arm before continuing the approach.

Soon after beginning its final approach sequence, the Dragon spacecraft will halt again at a hold position 250 meters, or 820 feet, below the space station. This brief hold allows ground controllers to assess the status of the rendezvous and issue a "go" for the Dragon to enter the so-called keep-out sphere, an imaginary circle around the space station in which traffic is tightly controlled for safety reasons.

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The Dragon spacecraft should depart the 250-meter hold point around 5:30 a.m. EDT (0930 GMT), heading for a 30-meter hold position before pressing on to a final point about 10 meters, or 33 feet, beneath the space station for capture by the robot arm.

Once in the grasp of the robot arm, Dragon will be maneuvered to a berthing port on the space station's Harmony module, wh ere it will stay until May 2. The supply ship will head back to Earth for a parachute-assisted splashdown in the Pacific Ocean with around two tons of research specimens and other equipment requiring analysis and refurbishment.

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30 m hold

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Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight 3 мин. назад

Dragon is early. 20 mins ahead of schedule. She's been to the ISS before, so that may explain a few things. #KnowsTheRoad

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Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight 4 мин. назад

While Dragon waits for the GO to proceed from 30 meters, this is the office for Norishige Kanai and Scott Tingle this morning for Dragon berthing operations. The Cupola Module RWS. #BetterThanYourOffice

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Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight 2 мин. назад

10:40 UTC now the capture time is the target. 20 minutes ahead of schedule. Dragon about to head to the capture point.

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Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight 3 мин. назад

Dragon and the ISS about to head into an orbital sunrise. Also, dawn for the East coast of the USA. Good morning, Americans.

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