Thursday, May 24, 2012

SpaceX Mission Updates: Thursday, May 24, 2012


SpaceX Mission Updates
SpaceX/Dragon on track for Station Rendezvous/Berthing
EARLY Friday Morning, May 25th
- NASA TV’s LIVE Coverage starts: 1:00am CDT
Post Date: Thursday, May 24, 2012
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Image Credit: SpaceX
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While we wait for Friday’s Hookup
Watch some LIVE Video from the ISS
Note: Video feed may cut off from time to time, but check back… It’s on more than not!
WATCH NASA TV at link below this video for the LIVE Coverage
Scroll down for NASATV
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POST UPDATE:
Well good early Friday morning, all
Dragon Authorized to Proceed Toward Station
Friday, May 25, 2012 - 01:27am CDT
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The International Space Station mission management team completed a thorough review of the progress of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and at 9:38pm CDT unanimously authorized the International Space Station and Dragon flight control teams to proceed toward rendezvous and berthing about 10:20am CDT Friday morning. [The actual Capture Time will be around 6:30am CDT.]
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The SpaceX mission management team reported all spacecraft systems are ready for the final stages of rendezvous and completion of the final COTS demonstration objectives… and space station managers reported the orbiting outpost is ready for the commercial spacecraft's arrival.
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Dragon has nearly completed its fly-around of the station, crossing behind the station and beginning its final approach.
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POST UPDATE:
Has this been COOOL to watch or what!!!?
Station Crew Captures Dragon
Friday, May 25, 2012 - 10:41am CDT
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The International Space Station Expedition 31 crew successfully captured the SpaceX Dragon capsule with the station's robotic arm at 8:56am CDT. The feat came 3 days, 6 hours, 11 minutes and 23 seconds after the mission's launch. The station was 251 miles over northwest Australia when capture occurred.
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Would like to add that it isn't over yet… The actual final berthing process of Dragon to the ISS will still not be over for another hour or so… but it looks to me to be getting near the end now! Still going on though so keep watching!
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NASA TV coverage began at 1am CDT this EARLY Friday morning and is still on.
Click out the LIVE Video coverage below…
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POST UPDATE:
Well--That’s about it for the day…
Station Crew Captures/Berths Dragon to ISS
Friday, May 25, 2012 - 11:15am CDT
 Image credit: SpaceX
At 11:02am CDT, DRAGON was officially… finally hooked up to the International Space Station.
Official, final Berthing Time 11:02am CDT
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Well THAT was a LONG Night and morning… No I had to take a few hrs nap in between… lol Getting old man!
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NOTE: I’m not going to do another post on Dragon until it is time to come home in a few days. But… keep up with the latest on the mission, Hatch opening/closing and such at links below…
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That’s it for me…
AJ OUT!
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Watch the Mission LIVE at
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-- NASA TV’s SpaceX/Dragon Mission Schedule --
Friday, May 25th
1:00am CDT - SpaceX/Dragon ISS Rendezvous and Berthing Coverage begins
Saturday, May 26th
5:30am CDT - SpaceX/Dragon Hatch Opening Coverage begins
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* Keep up with the Latest Mission Info
From NASA HERE
* Read info about overall mission- HERE
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AubreyJ………
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All info compiled from the NASA.gov website
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OK… One more time!
In case you missed it…
Station Crew Video of the Dragon Grapple and Berthing
Expedition 31 crew members aboard the International Space Station captured this video of the approach, grapple and berthing of the SpaceX Dragon cargo vehicle to the Earth-facing port of the Harmony module.
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