SpaceX is preparing for its historic Crew-1 ISS voyage to deliver astronauts to the orbital research station. The Crew Dragon capsule that will be used for the mission has been dubbed “Resilience” and is currently scheduled to be unveiled with astronauts aboard the ISS later this month. SpaceX delivered the spacecraft to its hangar at the Kennedy Space Center earlier this week.
With the arrival of the spacecraft, it will now be paired with the Falcon 9 rocket before the fully assembled rocket head on the launching pad. A short trip to the launch pad is set to take place this weekend. Currently, the Merchant Crew Capsule Launch takes place on November 14 at 7:49 a.m. EST. Known as Crew-1, this historic mission will have four astronauts.
The crew is the first operational flight of the Dragon spacecraft. SpaceX has already evacuated astronauts to the ISS with a 64-day test flight from the space station conducted earlier this year with astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behanken. The nickname of the resilience of the capsule was chosen by CMDR. Mike Hopkins who said he hopes that when we work together it is possible that the mission on it will be an inspiration to all.
Hopkins pointed out that the definition of resilience means working well under stress or during adverse events. 2020 has certainly been a challenge and a necessary resilience within the space program. Resilience was chosen as the name of resilience because it is more than the connection of four astronauts aboard the spacecraft, it is to bring something positive into everyone’s life.
The crew on the Group 1 flight includes Shannon Waker, Victor Glover, Mike Hopkins and Sochi Noguchi. An interesting side note from Hopkins is that Crew-2 astronauts will not change the name of Crew Dragon Endeavor. It is the spacecraft that went on a test mission to certify the crew dragon for spaceflight.
