The Launchpad

 

The Launchpad

Dragon fires thrusters to boost ISS orbit for the 1st time (NASA/Don Pettit) For the first time, Dragon performed an orbit-raising maneuver to stabilize the ISS's trajectory in low-Earth orbit. Such maneuvers are routine for the orbital lab, which requires periodic boosts to maintain its altitude above Earth and prevent its orbital decay into the planet's atmosphere. Historically, this has been accomplished using Russia's Soyuz and Progress vehicles, and other spacecraft, but, for the first time, it has been performed SpaceX's Dragon. Full Story: Space (11/8)