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Private Spacecraft Preparing to Dock with Space Station

Dragon seen from the ISS
Dragon seen from the ISS

The California based Space Exploration Technologies, SpaceX, says its Dragon capsule successfully completed a series of tests as it maneuvered closer to the orbiting International Space Station Thursday.

The unmanned spacecraft launched from Cape Canaveral early Tuesday, and has been running through a series of orbital tests as part of a demonstration flight as SpaceX tries to prove to NASA that it can fly supply missions to the ISS.

The capsule spent Tuesday and Wednesday firing thrusters as it caught up with the orbiting space station.

Thursday morning the Dragon came within a few miles of the ISS, allowing astronauts to establish a communications link with the spacecraft.

SpaceX says the most difficult part of the mission lies ahead on Friday morning, when the craft will carefully approach the station, allowing astronauts on board to use a robotic arm to reel it in and attach it to the ISS.

Once the capsule is secure, astronauts plan to open the hatch Saturday morning and enter the spacecraft.

Dragon is carrying more than 1000 pounds of supplies for the station.

 

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