Similar
Related
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA astronaut Megan McArthur, foreground, takes part in a crew equipment interface test CEIT in order to become familiar with the Space Exploration Technologies Corp. SpaceX Dragon capsule prior to its scheduled April 30 liftoff. The interface test inside a processing hangar at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Space Launch Complex-40 was part of prelaunch preparations for the company's next demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services COTS program. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two private companies to launch cargo safely to the International Space Station. Jason Tenenbaum, with SpaceX Mission Operations, background, also takes part in the test. CEIT is an activity that dates back to NASA's Space Shuttle Program, providing astronauts on Earth an opportunity to work with the actual hardware they would use in space. This exercise gave astronauts and engineers the opportunity to assess the compatibility of the equipment and systems aboard Dragon with the procedures to be used by the flight crew and flight controllers once the capsule is berthed at the space station. For more information, visit www.nasa.gov/exploration/commercial/cargo/spacex_index.html. Image courtesy: SpaceX/Paul Bonness KSC-2012-1930
Summary
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA astronaut Megan McArthur, foreground, takes part in a crew equipment interface test CEIT in order to become familiar with the Space Exploration Technologies Corp. SpaceX Dragon capsule prior to its scheduled April 30 liftoff. The interface test inside a processing hangar at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Space Launch Complex-40 was part of prelaunch preparations for the company's next demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services COTS program. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two private companies to launch cargo safely to the International Space Station. Jason Tenenbaum, with SpaceX Mission Operations, background, also takes part in the test. CEIT is an activity that dates back to NASA's Space Shuttle Program, providing astronauts on Earth an opportunity to work with the actual hardware they would use in space. This exercise gave astronauts and engineers the opportunity to assess the compatibility of the equipment and systems aboard Dragon with the procedures to be used by the flight crew and flight controllers once the capsule is berthed at the space station. For more information, visit www.nasa.gov/exploration/commercial/cargo/spacex_index.html. Image courtesy: SpaceX/Paul Bonness
The Space Shuttle program was the United States government's manned launch vehicle program from 1981 to 2011, administered by NASA and officially beginning in 1972. The Space Shuttle system—composed of an orbiter launched with two reusable solid rocket boosters and a disposable external fuel tank— carried up to eight astronauts and up to 50,000 lb (23,000 kg) of payload into low Earth orbit (LEO). When its mission was complete, the orbiter would re-enter the Earth's atmosphere and lands as a glider. Although the concept had been explored since the late 1960s, the program formally commenced in 1972 and was the focus of NASA's manned operations after the final Apollo and Skylab flights in the mid-1970s. It started with the launch of the first shuttle Columbia on April 12, 1981, on STS-1. and finished with its last mission, STS-135 flown by Atlantis, in July 2011.
To the extent possible under law, www.spacex.com has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to their work.
Tags
Date
Location
Source
Copyright info
