CHENNAI, Sep 4 : In a first of its kind manoeuvre, US Space Agency NASA and Elon Musk’s SpaceX has raised the orbit of
International Space Station (ISS) by around a mile, marking a significant step in ensuring the long-term sustainability of the station.
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In a post on its website today, NASA the SpaceX s Dragon spacecraft raised the orbit of the ISS last night.
It was a first-of-its-kind manoeuvre that lasted five minutes and three seconds, Dragon used engines in its trunk section to gently push the orbiting laboratory to a higher altitude.
“On Wednesday, Sept. 3, SpaceX s Dragon completed an initial burn to test the spacecraft s new capability to help maintain the altitude
of the International Space Station”, NASA said.
“Two Draco engines located in the trunk of Dragon, which contains an independent propellant system, were used to adjust the space station s
orbit through a maneuver lasting five minutes, three seconds”, it said.
The initial test burn increased the station s altitude by around one mile at perigee, or low point of station s orbit, leaving the station in an orbit
of 260.9 x 256.3 miles, it added.
The new boost kit in Dragon will help sustain the orbiting lab s altitude through a series of longer burns planned periodically throughout the fall of 2025.
This Dragon spacecraft, which is supporting NASA s SpaceX 33rd commercial resupply mission, arrived at the orbital complex on August 25.
Dragon is scheduled to remain at the space station until late December or early January before returning to Earth with research and cargo, splashing down off the coast of California.
(UNI)
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