SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule successfully docked at the International Space Station (ISS) on Saturday, delivering a fresh crew of four astronauts and cosmonauts to the outpost. The Crew 11 mission marked the beginning of Expedition 73, which will be crewed by NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, Japanese flier Kimiya Yui, and veteran astronaut Mike Fincke.
The Crew Dragon Endeavour entered orbit 264 miles above the south Pacific Ocean and slowly maneuvered into position for docking. After a successful linkup at the space-facing port of the forward Harmony module, the crew began to settle in, donning their spacesuits and configuring their capsule for docked operations.
ISS commander Takuya Onishi welcomed the new arrivals with open arms, congratulating Zena Cardman on her first flight as Expedition 73 commander. Cardman expressed her gratitude and excitement for the opportunity, saying it was “the absolute journey of a lifetime.”
The arrival of Crew 11 coincides with the end of a 145-day mission by another crew, who will return to Earth next Wednesday. The extended stay on the ISS has raised questions about NASA’s budget and plans for future missions. With funding set to decrease by nearly 25%, NASA is considering lengthening crew stays and reducing Dragon crews from four to three.
The Crew 11 crew is currently based on a six-month mission, but with the possibility of extending their stay for up to eight months pending further analysis. Commander Cardman has expressed her desire to stay longer, saying it would be “an absolute privilege” if given the opportunity.
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/crew-dragon-delivers-four-fresh-crew-members-to-international-space-station