Last week, SpaceX activated the thrusters of its Dragon cargo spacecraft that docked with the International Space Station (ISS). Such maneuvers are common for the orbital laboratory, which requires periodic adjustments to maintain altitude above Earth and prevent a critical descent into the planet’s atmosphere. But this time the maneuver was also a training exercise, which had the purpose of preparing for the end of the ISS operation, which would take place in six years.
The ISS orbit altitude adjustment maneuver was also important for NASA because it was performed for the first time by a SpaceX capsule – a task previously performed only by Russian Soyuz spacecraft. In addition, SpaceX and NASA are collecting data for plans for future deorbiting of the station.
In June, NASA signed a contract with SpaceX to build an “American orbiter” to destroy the ISS after 2030. According to the plan, the station will be pushed out of orbit to burn up safely in the atmosphere and plunge into the ocean. During the current test, SpaceX is making adjustments to the ISS to accumulate the necessary data. “The data that we’re going to collect from this reboost and attitude control demonstration will be very helpful … and this data is going to lead to future capability, mainly the U.S deorbit vehicle,” said SpaceX Director of Mission Reliability Jared Metter.
The Dragon with enhanced propulsion will be used for this mission: the spacecraft is equipped with 46 Drago thrusters, a large cargo bay with additional fuel tanks for thrusters, avionics, power and cooling systems. According to Dragon mission director Sarah Walker, the improved configuration of the spacecraft will allow it to fulfill an important mission.
Importantly, this Dragon mission replicates the success of the 2022 test, when Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft also made an ISS adjustment. Since its first flight in 2012, the Dragon cargo spacecraft has regularly delivered cargo to the ISS, and this week SpaceX completed its 31st delivery mission.
With relations between the US and Russia escalating after the latter’s invasion of Ukraine, NASA is looking for alternatives to maintain the stability of the space station. At the same time, Russia plans to leave the ISS no earlier than 2028, but the United States is actively working to reduce its dependence on Roscosmos.
According to space.com
