SpaceX has successfully docked an unmanned astronaut capsule to the International Space Station. It was a big test for the SpaceX program, which aims to give NASA a second option for sending astronauts to space.
Image: NASA
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A spacecraft built by Elon Musk's spacecraft manufacturer SpaceX successfully docked at the International Space Station (ISS) on Sunday, in the second stage of a critical test of the private company's technology.
The capsule, named Dragon, gradually climbed toward the ISS, which is orbiting the Earth at a distance of around 400 kilometers (248 miles) and a speed of 28,000 kilometers per hour.
The capsule was only carrying a life-sized dummy named Ripley. NASA plans to test the capsule again in July with two astronauts.
Ending reliance on Russia
SpaceX is aiming to resume manned spaceflights from US soil after an eight-year break, and provide NASA with a second option to get astronauts to the ISS.
After the shuttle program was shut down in July 2011 following a 30-year run, NASA began outsourcing the logistics of its space missions.
Currently, NASA relies on the Russian space program and its Soyuz spacecraft to shuttle astronauts to the ISS research facility. It pays Russia $82 million (€72 million) per person for a return trip to the ISS.
The crewless mission, called Demo-1, is SpaceX's chance to show it can build a spaceship that can carry humans.
Its missions so far have involved shuttling cargo to the ISS, but the company, headed by Elon Musk, has had the goal of transporting astronauts into space since he founded SpaceX in 2002.
The target date for SpaceX to fly NASA astronauts to the ISS has been set for July, but this could be delayed.
From colonies on Mars to Hyperloop — Elon Musk's multifarious projects
Billionaire investor and tech entrepreneur Elon Musk has always done things his own way, from designing space rockets to manufacturing electric cars. Here's a look at some of his grand futuristic projects.
Image: AFP/Getty Images/J. Lampen
A serial entrepreneur
Tech visionary Musk intends to revolutionize transportation, both on earth and in space, and the way humans lead their lives. Over the past two decades, the South African-born American entrepreneur has emerged as one of Silicon Valley's most recognized faces worldwide. Musk was cofounder of Paypal, which was acquired by eBay for $1.4 billion (€1.2 billion) in 2002.
Image: picture allianc/dpa/A. Sokolow
Eying space
In 2002, Musk founded SpaceX, an aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company currently valued at over $20 billion. He wants to make space travel cheaper and, eventually, enable human life on Mars, thus giving human kind a chance at becoming multi-planetary species.
Image: Reuters/T. Baur
A mission to Mars
SpaceX's Falcon and Dragon rocket programs both already deliver payloads into Earth's orbit. The company has said it wants to launch its Mars-bound cargo flight in 2022, followed by the first Mars flight with passengers in 2024.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Press Association Images/Spacex
Transforming transportation
After founding SpaceX, Musk set up Tesla in 2003 to come up with electric autonomous vehicles and renewable energy solutions. But production bottlenecks have plagued the company, with much of its future banked on the Model 3, its first mid-price, mass-market vehicle.
Image: Reuters/Tesla
Really big Teslas are coming
After the foray into electric cars, Musk last year opened a new chapter in his book of visions as he unveiled the prototype of a futuristic all-electric heavy truck. The vehicle — dubbed the Tesla Semi — is set to go into production in 2019. It would boast 500 miles of range, a battery and motors that will last 1 million miles and cheaper total operating costs than diesel models, Musk claimed.
Image: Reuters/A. Sage
Roofs made of solar tiles
Besides running SpaceX and Tesla, Musk has also invested in the solar energy company SolarCity to turn his vision of a solar-powered future into a reality. Musk said houses equipped with Tesla's Solar Roof would feed energy to Powerwall, a sleek storage unit designed to act as an electricity fill-up station for both the house and a Tesla electric car.
Image: picture-alliance/Newscom/Tesla/UPI
Dreaming an electric future
In 2015, Musk unveiled Powerwall, a home battery unit with a selling price of $3,500 for 10kWh and $3,000 for 7kWh. The Powerwall can be controlled via one's phone, from anywhere. But slow production rates have proved to be a problem.
Image: Reuters/P. T. Fallon
Hyperloop
Hyperloop came into global prominence after it was proposed by Musk in 2013. It is viewed as a next-generation transportation system — a "fifth mode" of transport (after planes, trains, cars and boats). It uses magnetically-levitated pods and sealed partial vacuum transit tubes to move people and freight at supersonic speeds estimated to reach over 700 miles per hour (1,127 kilometers per hour).
Image: picture alliance/AP Photo/SpaceX
Merging brain with AI
In 2016, Musk co-founded Neuralink, a neurotechnology startup that is reportedly trying to create brain-computer interfaces by integrating the human brain with artificial intelligence (AI). The project is currently at an early stage of development.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/M. Kiran
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'A new era in space flight'
"I'm a little emotionally exhausted," Musk said in a post-launch press conference. "It's super-stressful, but it worked, so far."
"It's been 17 years, we still haven't launched anyone yet, but hopefully we will later this year," Musk added.
Jim Bridenstine, head of the US space agency, said it "represents a new era in space flight."
"As a country, we're looking forward to being one customer of many customers, in a robust commercial marketplace in low Earth orbit, so that we can drive down costs and increase access in ways that historically have not been possible," he said.
Astronauts on the ISS were due to open the hatch at 1430 UTC and hold a welcome ceremony about two hours later. The capsule is scheduled to return to Earth next Friday.
