Mission Alpha: docking to the ISS, a delicate operation
The US Space Station (ISS) photographed on October 4, 2018 © NASA / Roscosmos
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2 min
Thomas Pesquet and his three fellow astronauts are on their way to the International Space Station.
Their spacecraft the
Crew Dragon
took off Friday, April 23 at midday and is currently in orbit around the Earth.
During the day of Saturday, the capsule must dock at the station for a six-month mission around our planet.
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With our special correspondent in Cape Canaveral,
Simon Rozé
Take off is considered the most dangerous part of a space mission, but it is only one step, then you have to join and dock at the station.
A delicate operation well known to Andy Mogensen, friend of Thomas Pesquet and astronaut of the European Space Agency.
“
Mooring is complex, but not at all as dangerous as taking off or landing,” he
says.
The relative speed between the station and the dragon capsule is very low, we approach very slowly.
But it remains delicate because we are in space.
You have to align everything perfectly.
So apart from this difficulty, there is not much risk.
Of course, in the worst case scenario, in theory you could crash into the station or damage it, but that doesn't happen, everything works perfectly.
"
It is only after having checked that the docking is successful, that the connection between the capsule and the station is watertight, that the airlock finally opens.
The astronauts can then get inside, and this is the official start of their
six-month
mission
on board.
► To read also: Mission Alpha: successful takeoff for Thomas Pesquet and his teammates
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Space
Thomas Pesquet
Alpha Mission