Stranded astronauts: SpaceX capsule for return mission to ISS docked | EUROtoday

The capsule “Crew Dragon” has arrived on the ISS. The return of the NASA astronauts, which have been lingering on the area station for nearly ten months as an alternative of every week, is getting nearer.

The US astronauts stranded in area are a step nearer to their rescue. A return flight room capsule for the 2 US astronauts caught on the worldwide area station since June has arrived on the outpost of humanity.

The “Crew Dragon” of the non-public area firm SpaceX by Tech-Milliardär Elon Musk Dockte on the ISS, as reside pictures from the US room journey authority NASA confirmed. On board is the so-called “crew 10”, consisting of the US astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers in addition to the Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi and the Russian cosmonaut Kirill Peskow.

“Crew 10” replaces the “Crew 9”

The “Crew 10” is meant to switch the “Crew 9” within the area station about 400 kilometers above the earth – consisting of the US astronaut Sun Williams, her colleague Barry Wilmore and Nick Hague in addition to the Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunow.

The begin was initially deliberate for Wednesday, however needed to be postponed on the bottom attributable to a hydraulic drawback. The drawback may very well be solved later.

After a number of days collectively on board the ISS, the “Crew 9” ought to then return to Earth from Wednesday, the crew 10 “ought to stay in area till autumn. But unhealthy climate might nonetheless delay the return a bit of.

Ten months as an alternative of every week

Hague and Gorbunow have been on board the ISS – Williams and Wilmore for the reason that finish of September since June. Actually, they need to solely keep round every week. However, attributable to technical issues with its “Starliner” spaceship, NASA determined to deliver the breakdown spaceship again to earth in September. The deliberate week grew to become nearly ten months in area for the 2 skilled astronauts, which had beforehand been on the ISS a number of occasions.