Dragon delivers groceries and gear to space station
Source: Agencies |
October 11, 2012, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
A PRIVATE company successfully delivered a half-ton of supplies to the International Space Station early yesterday, the first official shipment under a billion-dollar contract with NASA.
The SpaceX cargo ship, called Dragon, eased up to the orbiting lab, and station astronauts reached out with a robot arm and snared it. Afterwards, they firmly latched it down.
"Looks like we've tamed the Dragon," reported space station commander Sunita Williams. "We're happy she's on board with us."
Williams thanked SpaceX and NASA for the delivery, especially the chocolate-vanilla swirl ice cream stashed in a freezer.
The linkup occurred above the Pacific Ocean.
"Nice flying," radioed NASA's Mission Control.
It's the first delivery by the California-based SpaceX company under a US$1.6 billion contract with NASA. The contract calls for 12 such shipments.
This newest Dragon holds 453 kilograms of groceries, clothes, science experiments and other gear. Williams and her crew won't get access to all that until today, when the hatch is opened.
The vessel will remain at the space station for nearly three weeks before departing with almost twice that much cargo at the end of the month. Dragon is the only cargo ship capable of bringing back research and other items, filling a void left by NASA's retired shuttles.
The SpaceX cargo ship, called Dragon, eased up to the orbiting lab, and station astronauts reached out with a robot arm and snared it. Afterwards, they firmly latched it down.
"Looks like we've tamed the Dragon," reported space station commander Sunita Williams. "We're happy she's on board with us."
Williams thanked SpaceX and NASA for the delivery, especially the chocolate-vanilla swirl ice cream stashed in a freezer.
The linkup occurred above the Pacific Ocean.
"Nice flying," radioed NASA's Mission Control.
It's the first delivery by the California-based SpaceX company under a US$1.6 billion contract with NASA. The contract calls for 12 such shipments.
This newest Dragon holds 453 kilograms of groceries, clothes, science experiments and other gear. Williams and her crew won't get access to all that until today, when the hatch is opened.
The vessel will remain at the space station for nearly three weeks before departing with almost twice that much cargo at the end of the month. Dragon is the only cargo ship capable of bringing back research and other items, filling a void left by NASA's retired shuttles.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
