NASA relocated SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule to make room for Boeing’s Starliner.
The undocking began around 6:45 a.m. NASA said the capsule redocked at 7:35 a.m.
Contact and soft capture confirmed at 7:35am ET. With four Crew-2 astronauts aboard, the @SpaceX Crew Dragon docked to the @Space_Station Harmony module's space-facing port, moving from the forward port to free up a spot for the next @Commercial_Crew spacecraft to arrive. pic.twitter.com/Jej8VHdJ4o
— NASA (@NASA) July 21, 2021
The Crew Dragon was used to take NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide and European astronaut Thomas Pesquet on the second operational flight to the International Space Station under NASA’s commercial program.
Boeing is scheduled to launch its Starliner capsule atop a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on July 30.
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The launch is set for 2:53 p.m. It will be the second uncrewed flight for Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program.
NASA said the spacecraft will carry more than 400 pounds of NASA cargo and crew supplies to the space station and return to Earth with more than 550 pounds of cargo, including reusable Nitrogen Oxygen Recharge System (NORS) tanks that provide breathable air to station crew members.
The @SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour, with four Crew-2 astronauts aboard, undocked from the forward-facing port of the @Space_Station's Harmony module. It will relocate to the module's space-facing port, making room for the future arrival of the next @Commercial_Crew spacecraft: pic.twitter.com/QQfLEyHwwC
— NASA (@NASA) July 21, 2021
PHOTOS: Blue Origin has successful launch
The uncrewed mission will provide valuable data toward NASA certifying Boeing’s crew transportation system for regular flights with astronauts to and from the space station, NASA said.
WATCH: Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos launch into space for historic flight
Watch the livestream below:
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