The International Space Station ISS is ready to accommodate visitors by manned rockets operated by private space companies. NASA’s astronauts Nick Hague and Andrew Morgan installed a second IDA (International Docking Adapter) through outboard activities.
This docking adapter is second, but it is called IDA-3. In fact, IDA-1 was included in the CRS-7 mission payload, but was lost on June 28, 2015 due to SpaceX’s failure to launch a rocket. Therefore, in June 2016, IDA-2, which was mounted on SpaceX’s CRS-9 mission, became the first IDA.
The existing IDA-2 has already proven its effectiveness. In March, SpaceX’s Dragon was joined to a demo docking adapter via an autopilot, demonstrating that it was actually an important device for mating while the crew was on board.
The IDA-3 is the second docking adapter that supports autopilot coupling. The existing docking aircraft had to approach the ISS at a close distance, fly in the same orbit, and approach carefully from the ISS’s robotic arm Canadarm2. However, the new docking adapter standardizes a series of processes and allows docking without control, as well as connection with various aircraft such as SpaceX’s manned space shuttle Crew Dragon as well as Boeing’s planned CST-100. This makes it much easier to bring personnel and cargo into and out of the ISS.
Boeing, which designed and manufactured the docking adapter, made the IDA weighing 521 kg, measuring 1 m and 1.6 m wide. It’s a bit narrower for ordinary men. The installation of IDA was one of the steps ISS needed to accommodate private space travel users. Of course, not all obstacles have disappeared yet. Manned flight docking needs to be demonstrated.
Meanwhile, on August 21 (local time), NASA broadcasted the IDA-3 combination process live to ISS. Related information can be found here .