SpaceX flight could dock with the ISS next month.
The Dragon spacecraft has been given a launch date of no earlier than March 20, with a more fixed date to follow in the next couple of weeks.
SpaceX is owned by PayPal founder Elon Musk, and the Dragon capsule (pictured, showing scorch marks from its last re-entry) will be the first private flight to dock with the International Space Station.
The main goals of SpaceX’s next flight include a fly-by of the ISS at a distance of two miles (three kilometers) and a berthing operation in which the Dragon will approach the ISS and the crew aboard the orbiting outpost will use the ISS robotic arm to help it latch on.
After the test docking, the Dragon aims to detach from the station for its return to Earth and eventually splash down in the Pacific off the coast of California.
(via 8bitfuture)
