At 2:20 am on May 31st, according to Vietnam time, NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken departed from Earth aboard the SpaceX Demo-2 spacecraft at the Kennedy Space Center in southern Florida, USA.
Following a 19-hour journey, the Dragon Crew team reached the International Space Station (ISS), completing a historic mission and ushering in a new era for the aerospace industry. This is the first time since 2011 that astronauts have launched into space from US soil, following NASA’s temporary suspension of human spaceflight programs using the Space Shuttle. Additionally, it marks the first time a private company like SpaceX, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, has transported humans to space under a cooperative agreement with NASA established in 2010.
The SpaceX Demo-2 spacecraft took off, carrying two astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). Photo: SpaceX.
What will the astronauts’ responsibilities be? Upon being welcomed by their colleagues on the ISS, Hurley and Behnken will participate alongside the station’s crew in conducting a series of experiments to help scientists understand how human physiology responds to life in microgravity.
Furthermore, the crew will also test life support technologies for human exploration outside of space. However, most importantly, the astronaut duo’s mission is to monitor and evaluate the performance of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft during its spaceflight, in preparation for the journey back to Earth.
“Hurley and Behnken are ready to perform several tasks for us. Their work will involve conducting remote experiments as well as familiarizing themselves with operational conditions in a weightless environment,” said Kathy Lueders, the manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
The Crew Dragon spacecraft successfully docked with the ISS. Photo: NASA.
The duration of their work on the ISS may range from 1 to 3 months. This period primarily serves the purpose of preparing for future commercial flights that will carry humans to space. To achieve this goal, the stability of the Crew Dragon crew is of utmost importance.
According to The New York Times, with only three astronauts aboard the ISS, a significant portion of their time is dedicated to station operations, leaving little time for scientific experiments in space. The two newly arrived astronauts will have their own specific tasks while also helping improve the operations of the ISS.
Once their mission is complete, the spacecraft will autonomously detach from the ISS and bring the two astronauts back to Earth. Hurley and Behnken are expected to splash down off the coast of the Atlantic Ocean using the recovery vessel Go Navigator and will be returned to Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Preparing for the future
According to NASA, the Demo-2 mission is the final step before their Commercial Crew Program embarks on long-duration operational missions on the ISS.
If successful, this will enable NASA to continue research and development in aerospace technology, laying the foundation for future lunar and Mars expeditions. By 2024, the Artemis space program aims to send the first woman and the next male astronaut to set foot on the Moon.