Space Stations

The Progress MS-20 spacecraft approaching the International Space Station (Image NASA TV)

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A few hours ago, the Progress MS-20 spacecraft blasted off atop a Soyuz 2.1a rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. After about nine minutes it successfully separated from the rocket’s last stage and was placed on its ultra-fast track in its resupply mission to the International Space Station also called Progress 81 or 81P. After almost 3.5 hours it reached the International Space Station docking with its Zvezda module.

Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spacecraft docked with the International Space Station (Image NASA TV)

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A few hours ago, Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft docked with the International Space Station’s Harmony module carrying out the first part of its Boe-OFT 2 (Boeing Orbital Flight Test 2) or OFT-2 mission which began with the launch just over 24 hours earlier. The hatch is scheduled to open in the American morning and all work on the Starliner will be completed rather quickly, as it could depart already on May 25.

The Tianzhou 4 cargo spacecraft blastinf off (Photo courtesy Xinhua/Tian Dingyu)

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It was morning in Beijing when the Chinese Tianzhou 4 cargo spacecraft reached the Chinese space station’s Tianhe core module. It was launched about seven hours earlier on a Long March-7 Y5 rocket from the Wenchang base. This is the third space freighter launched to the new Chinese space station and carries propellant along with various types of supplies for the taikonauts, as the Chinese call their astronauts, who will arrive in June.

The Crew Dragon Freedom spacecraft docking with the International Space Station (Image NASA TV)

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A few hours ago, SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Freedom spacecraft docked to the International Space Station’s Harmony module completing the first part of its Crew-4 or SpaceX Crew-4 mission that began almost 16 hours earlier with its launch. After checking that the pressure is correctly balanced, the hatch will be opened to allow Robert Hines, Samantha Cristoforetti, Jessica Watkins, and Kjell Lindgren to enter the Station.

The Crew Dragon Endeavour spacecraft docking with the International Space Station in its Ax-1 mission (Image NASA TV)

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A little while ago, SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Endeavour spacecraft docked with the International Space Station’s Harmony module completing the first part of its private Axiom Mission 1 or simply Ax-1 mission that began with its launch yesterday. After they verify that the pressure has been correctly balanced, the hatch will be opened to allow Michael López-Alegría, Larry Connor, Eytan Stibbe, and Mark Pathy to enter the Station.