NASA set up new berths on the space station for visitors

NASA astronauts will make a 6.5-hour walk in the outer space of the International Space Station (ISS) to install a new docking station in an effort to make it easier for ships to dock with the station. ISS.

The new dock called IDA will end NASA dependence on Russia's Soyuz spacecraft. It will ensure the mission of transporting astronauts to and from the ISS as well as undertaking future manned missions from Boeing and SpaceX in 2017 and 2018.

To implement this program, Boeing is building a new vessel called CST-100 Starliner and the company SpaceX also designed a new version of the cargo ship called Crew Dragon.

Released with ISS in July with one of SpaceX's Falcon 9 missiles, IDA is a large metal ring with a diameter of 160cm. IDA is opened by Canadarm2 robot of the space station and then connected to the port on ISS Harmony model by NASA astronaut Jeff Williams and Kate Rubins from about 6:30 am on Friday in US time.

Astronauts check equipment for work on the ISS station.(Photo: NASA).

Kenny Todd, NASA space station manager at Johnson Space Center from Houston, told CBS News, "We are delighted to achieve this great milestone, from where the crew can come. from different places on Earth and serving better space stations ".

Loren Grush sent a report to The Verge magazine, which stated that it was not the first IDA launched on ISS but it was certainly only successful.

She added: "This is the second IDA to be launched into space even though the first IDA failed in its orbit effort, it was destroyed when the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket brought IDA to disintegrate in the journey in June 2015 ".

The new IDA installation on ISS is an important mission in NASA's commercial transport program - recently implemented by the space agency to secure private companies such as SpaceX and Boeing, which can be easily transported. Transfer crew and cargo to and from ISS in the future.

And that's incredibly interesting, all we can do is actually enter a new era of space exploration. The fact that private companies are always willing to pay millions of dollars for people to go beyond the limits of Earth's orbit and NASA is gradually helping them turn this desire into reality.

The new dock called IDA will end NASA dependence on Russia's Soyuz spacecraft.

One of the immediate benefits of this new IDA is that it will allow the transport of more astronauts to ISS than before - this is considered a huge support for conducting research and testing. experience on space.

William Harwood reported to CBC News: "In addition to allowing NASA and partner astronauts access to the space station, the new commercial ship can bring four crews to the station on each flight compared to Previous Soyuz 3-seat train ".

Harwood added: "This success will enable NASA to increase the number of its crew to 6 to 7, significantly increasing the time it takes for research."

This is Jeff Williams 'fourth outer space walk and Kate Rubins' first, they will be supported by Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi. Onishi will help them inside ISS and Tom Marshburn, a veteran space walker who will communicate with them from the control center in Houston.