Today sees a first for the International Space Station as a SpaceX Dragon performs a reboost maneuver.
Friday will see a new event for the International Space Station as a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is used to boost its altitude for the first time. As drag works on the space station, its altitude gradually degrades over time, and so it needs to be given an occasional push to keep it at its correct altitude, around 250 miles from the Earth’s surface.
Recommended Videos “The data that we’re going to collect from this reboost and altitude control demonstration will be very helpful,” said Jared Metter, SpaceX director of flight reliability. Metter also said that the data would be important for a future job of SpaceX: deorbiting the space station in the 2030s when it comes to the end of its life.
There were also occasional tests of using Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo vehicles to reboost the station, but these cargo vehicles are designed to be expendable — they are sent to the station to carry cargo, but then are disposed of in space rather than landing back on Earth — so they are not ideally suited to reboosting. The Dragon is also not specifically designed to do this job, as its main task is to carry cargo, but the option to use it will give more data on eventual ISS deorbit plans.
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