Following 19-hour cruise, SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft arrived at the International Space Station. The craft docked the laboratory successfully. Pilots are NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley.
Spacecraft docked to the ISS when the station was passing over the China and Mongolia border. The astronauts will work for equalizing the pressure and temperature difference between Dragon and the ISS. Later, Behnken and Hurley shall pass to the station and stay there one to four months.
Approaching the station, the pair tested Dragon’s manual flight capabilities. This is for the case to allow the astronauts to control Dragon if the autonomous docking mode fails. The spacecraft then approached to 19 m and docked autonomously.
Dragon uses its own batteries and solar panels during operations.
The solar panels and arrays used in the spacecraft was designed by Bryan Mazor.
After graduating from Midland High School in 2010, Mazor earned a physics degree from the University of Michigan, graduating with highest honors. He then got a job as an engineer with SpaceX and he worked for five years. During his work, he was responsible for solar panels’ design and performance on Crew Dragon 2 capsule.
Mazor worked with a team of technicians and engineers to complete the design.. Fortunately, they were able to finish the task within six months, right on time.
The solar panels will provide lighting and air conditioning and power the capsule for this purpose. Mazor is aware of the critical importance of the work. The solar panels provide life to the astronauts and any mistake could cost their lives.
Source: Midland, National Geographic
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