NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine was extremely excited about the launch of the Falcon 9 rocket, as well as the experimental Crew Dragon capsule, which were created by SpaceX.
The main purpose of this mission was to demonstrate the capabilities of the apparatus related to the safety measures of future astronauts. Considering that everything went according to plan, today it is already safe to say that SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, has significantly brought the moment of sending NASA astronauts to the ISS on its own. This has not happened since 2011. Here's what Jim Bridenstine noted on this issue:
“This risky flight test forces us to return to the possibility of launching astronauts in American spaceships on American rockets from American soil. We're thrilled with the progress made by NASA's Commercial Crew Program and look forward to the next milestone for Crew Dragon '.
On Sunday, January 19, the Californian rocket manufacturer launched the Crew Dragon unmanned capsule and the Falcon 9 rocket into orbit. The main purpose of the launch was to test Dragon's ability to safely “escape” the Falcon in the event of an emergency.
After just 90 seconds of flight, the Dragon capsule fired its engines and flew to its highest orbital point before returning to Earth. At the same time, the Falcon 9, which delivered the capsule into space, was abandoned for spectacular disintegration in the atmosphere.
Just eight minutes after launch, Dragon sank to the surface of the Atlantic Ocean. Here is what SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said:
“As far as we can tell, this is the perfect mission. Everything went as expected. This is a reflection of the dedication and hard work of the SpaceX and NASA team to achieve this goal. I'm very inspired and it's cool. '
Before SpaceX Dragon can ferry American astronauts to and from the International Space Station (ISS), SpaceX must complete a long list of safety checks approved by NASA.
The names of the first astronauts to fly to the ISS aboard Dragon are already known. Astronauts Doug Hurley and Robert Behnken will fly into orbit in the spring of 2020. In a post-launch press conference, Musk said the Dragon's first manned flight will take place in the second quarter of this year.
