Docked at the International Space Station (ISS), SpaceX's Crew Dragon Resilience—America's longest-operating spacecraft in space—has successfully relocated to a new port. This clears the way for incoming missions.
On Monday, NASA astronauts Mike Hopkins, Victor Glover, and Shannon Walker, along with JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi, suited up and boarded Resilience. They weren't heading home; they monitored the spacecraft's first docking port switch.
In just 38 minutes, Resilience undocked from the "forward" port on the ISS's Harmony module, backed away about 60 meters, reoriented using its Draco thrusters, and docked at the "zenith" port on the same module.
The maneuver makes room for the Crew-2 mission, led by ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet, launching no earlier than April 22, and the CRS-22 cargo mission in June.
Resilience vacated the "forward" port for Crew-2 to dock there. At month's end, Resilience will depart for Earth, freeing the "zenith" port for CRS-22. This SpaceX cargo flight will deliver new solar panels, which the ISS's robotic arm can only access from the "zenith" port for installation.
Why was the crew aboard for an automated procedure? They served as safety observers, ready to intervene in an emergency. Thankfully, the operation was flawless.
Meanwhile, Thomas Pesquet is gearing up for Crew-2. In a France 2 interview Sunday, he called this launch "more distressing" than his first. "The first time is theoretical," he explained. "The second, you know exactly when it'll be scary and hurt. We're just as motivated, but more aware."
