A crew of four aboard SpaceX’s newest Crew Dragon capsule successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday, concluding a seamless 28-hour automated rendezvous that began with their launch on Wednesday. The Crew Dragon, named Grace, is the fifth variant in SpaceX’s fleet. Its docking mechanism engaged with the Harmony module of the ISS at 6:31 a.m. EDT while they were above the mid-Atlantic Ocean. Following the initial “soft capture,” the capsule was securely locked in position, and various checks were carried out to ensure an airtight seal.
The hatches opened at 8:14 a.m., allowing Crew Dragon commander Peggy Whitson, along with her teammates Shubhanshu Shukla from India, Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland, and Hungarian engineer Tibor Kapu, to enter the ISS. They received a warm welcome from the seven long-duration crew members already at the station. Peggy Whitson, a retired NASA astronaut and the most experienced American space flier, is leading this mission as part of a privately-financed charter by Axiom Space. Throughout their two-week Ax-4 mission, the crew plans to conduct a series of scientific research projects and technology demonstrations, along with educational events in their respective countries.
Station commander Takuya Onishi greeted Whitson and her crew at a welcoming ceremony, expressing both honor and privilege to have such a seasoned astronaut onboard while also congratulating the first-time space travelers. Whitson reciprocated, highlighting the exceptional hosting by the ISS crew and their anticipation for a productive collaboration. The Ax-4 mission aims to involve researchers from 31 countries in evaluating the various experiments being conducted. Whitson emphasized that this mission opens up access to space for nations that typically couldn’t participate, making it a groundbreaking endeavor.
Prior to docking, the crew shared their excitement, with Whitson describing the new capsule’s “new-spacecraft smell” and expressing joy in returning to space with her fellow astronauts. All crew members voiced appreciation for the experience and gratitude to the teams that made the mission possible.