SpaceX cargo mission CRS-22 launch seen from Space Station

SpaceX cargo mission CRS-22 launch seen from the International Space Station on 3 June 2021.

ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet took this picture as SpaceX CRS-22 was performing an orbital insertion.

Thomas commented on this photo:

"Managed to get the SpaceX cargo mission CRS-22 orbital insertion on camera last Thursday but it required some processing on ground to make the colours come out. Orbital insertion is when the spacecraft enters orbital flight (which is a ballistic freefall around Earth), after the end of the propulsive phase (which is when the rocket was pushing you). After that critical point, there are manoeuvres to catch up with the International Space Station, raise the chasing spacecraft’s orbit to the same altitude as us (or almost), and finally manoeuvre around the Station until docking. See: spaceflight is simple after all – if it wasn’t I couldn't do it "

Over 200 experiments were run during Thomas’ time in space, with 40 European ones and 12 new experiments led by the French space agency CNES.

Latest updates on the Alpha mission can be found via @esaspaceflight on Twitter, with more details on ESA’s exploration blog via thomaspesquet.esa.int.

Background information on the Alpha mission is available at www.esa.int/MissionAlpha with a brochure at www.esa.int/AlphaBrochure.