And now we are up for the second launch of humans on a commercial vehicle headed to space!
Not everyone may recall what had happened on May 30, 2020, so allow me to elaborate on what I’m talking about.
Space X worked with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, better known as NASA, to launch its Falcon rocket along with the Dragon capsule as something they call their Demo-2 mission. There was something unordinary about that launch. It has two people on it! Their names are Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley. They were the first to be aboard a Space X vehicle that got them up safely and securely to the International Space Station! It should be noted that this was a big accomplishment since commercial vehicles had not been used to launch humans off American soil for 9 years. All of this was also able to occur amidst the Coronavirus pandemic and gave light and hope to the people who were in the dark. This just shows us that we are capable of many things if we work together.
Now, it is time for another Space X launch, but this time with 4 people on board! On a very special day, Halloween of 2020, “NASA astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover, and Shannon Walker, along with Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi” will be launching yet again from American soil into orbit! They will depart on the International Space Station (ISS), where they will be joining NASA astronaut Kate Rubins and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov on their departure the next day. They already have their work lined up for them!
This crew of 7 will work together on the International Space Ship to “grow radishes in space, test drugs, and even install a new toilet.” They will also vote from space during the presidential election this year! They may also perform some Extravehicular Activities (EVA) spacewalks, but we are not very sure about that at the moment.
You may be thinking, “How is this all getting done with COVID still on our hands?”
These astronauts have been trained throughout the last 6 months and had to deal with the hardships of COVID. Though we do not know much about this launch yet, as it is very classified, I can tell you a bit about how Crew Demo-2 worked through the challenges imposed by COVID. Their launch was at the end of May when things were still very tough. They had to be isolated from their families for days before launch and were not allowed to take pictures to record this historic moment. Though they were not wearing masks to make sure it does not interfere with their health and preparation before launch, everyone around them was masked up and the hallways which lead them to transport to the rocket, which is usually packed with people/press at launches, were empty. Only their close family got to say bye before the launch, which had never been that way before COVID.
Despite the challenges given to us with this pandemic, the space industry is still working hard! I am so very excited about this launch since I am a huge enthusiast of space travel and hope to work for Space X in the future! Let’s get ready for this spooky Halloween launch to the ISS!
Stay safe and wear a mask!
Written by Daniella Agayeva
O’Callaghan, Jonathan. “Spooky! SpaceX To Launch Next NASA Astronaut Mission To The ISS On Halloween.” Forbes, Forbes, 30 Sept. 2020;
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanocallaghan/2020/09/30/spooky-spacex-to-launch-next-nasa-astronaut-mission-to-the-iss-on-halloween/#753fcd82da9b.
Comments