SpaceX has successfully performed the first orbital boost for the International Space Station (ISS) using its Dragon spacecraft. The maneuver, which raised the station’s orbit by a tiny bit, marks a significant milestone in the company’s capabilities and will provide valuable data to inform the design of SpaceX’s upcoming ISS deorbit vehicle.
The ISS requires periodic boosts to maintain its altitude above Earth and prevent its orbital decay into the planet’s atmosphere. Historically, this has been accomplished using Russia’s Soyuz and Progress vehicles, but today, Dragon performed the first of these maneuvers.
According to NASA, the reboost began at 12:50 p.m. ET (1750 GMT) with the ignition of Dragon’s thrusters, which lasted approximately 12.5 minutes. The maneuver was monitored by both NASA and SpaceX teams as they ensured a safe and successful execution.
The success of this operation marks a significant step forward for SpaceX, demonstrating its capabilities to maintain the ISS orbit indefinitely. This achievement also eliminates another U.S. reliance on Russia for operation of the space station, should that partnership dissolve.
The data from today’s reboost will be used to inform the design of the deorbit vehicle, which NASA has contracted with SpaceX to construct. The company is expected to plunge the decommissioned space station into the Pacific Ocean sometime after 2030.
As part of its Artemis Program and other deep space exploration missions, NASA aims to free up financial room by retiring the ISS. This will enable the agency to expand its research in low-Earth orbit and pursue new endeavors like the Artemis Program.
Source: https://www.space.com/space-exploration/international-space-station/spacex-dragon-fires-thrusters-to-boost-iss-orbit-for-the-1st-time