Yesterday’s Falcon 9 Dragon Launch was live on the official SpaceX website and you can find the updates made throughout the event on Techstory as well.
The launch was successful. As millions of people watching the rocket launch till Falcon 9 got separated from the Dragon after crossing the atmosphere.
While the event was going on, the live team was answering the audience’s questions. By using the hashtag #LaunchAmerica people asked some questions. Though the experts answered the questions. Still, there are questions about the kind of food the astronauts are going to eat. Also on what they are going to do up there.
The Mission of crew 2
The crew-2 team consists of two Americans, one French, and one Japanese astronaut. Crew 1 which was launched last year as a demo launch had Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley as the rocket passengers.
The astronauts from crew 1 are still onboard the international space station. As crew 2 goes to the space station, crew 1 and two astronauts from crew 2 are scheduled to come to earth.
With Falcon 9’s Dragon launch, the future NASA missions to send astronauts to space are expected to be easier.
“The Crew-2 mission is a symbol of international and industry partnership… this is the 1st time that a NASA, @ESA, & @JAXA_en astronaut are flying to and staying for a long duration mission at the @Space_Station.” – Hiroshi Sasaki, vice president of @JAXA_en human spaceflight pic.twitter.com/WIH2EQMBG2
— NASA (@NASA) April 23, 2021
SpaceX mission
Earlier NASA had to buy expensive capsules from Russia as the manufacturing is costly. With SpaceX, they can now avail a better capsule to send astronauts to space. The unique selling point of SpaceX is that it can sell to different customers. Their capsule is cheaper and much efficient than the Russian Capsule or NASA’S Apollo spacecraft. The Flacon 9 uses a booster and has the adaptability to get into the space station on its own. NASA’s Apollo needs human assistance to get inside.
By using the SpaceX Falcon 9 Dragon capsule they can follow the quote “Reduce, recycle and Reuse” concept.
Furthermore, NASA has another commercial provider they are considering. Boeing, which is expected to start its demo launch next year.
What do astronauts do in space?
Basically, the role of astronauts in the international space station is to work on different scientific experiments. Usually, the Crew on the space station has 7 members. With a maximum of 11 members during the time when crew members leave to earth.
Other than the experimentation, they also work on maintenance. It includes everything from installing new flexible solar arrays or powering the station.
The experiential conducted in space station take advantage of the near zero-gravity situation. These are the experiments humans can’t do over the earth. Astronauts can take a walk around and fly as they keep the space station running.
The space station has a volume of a five-bedroom mansion. If on earth, the station would have weighed million pounds. Also, the space station has laboratory modules from different countries. Which are Japan, Europe, Russia, and United States.
The crew has an eight-hour sleep period each day. They have individual crew quarters with sleeping bags attached to the walls. Also attached is a pic of a previous station crew dining in the gallery… pic.twitter.com/nC5gcZwRKz
— International Space Station (@Space_Station) April 24, 2021
The first crew to be on the space station was on November 2 in 2000. Ever since then, the space station was always upgraded in terms of parts and Technology as the crew goes up and down from earth to space.
The Mission is that this would help the humans on earth for future endeavors. Exploring the possibilities of having humans in space give scope to do more.
