ISS crew welcomes Hurley and Behnken onboard; NASA chief asks 'did you get any sleep?'

US astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, who were sporting SpaceX t-shirts, have been welcomed by the crew at the International Space Station in NASA suits with smiles and hugs after over 19 hours since they blasted off into space in SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, who was the first person to have a conversation with the astronauts, thanked them for making history on May 30. The first question that Bridenstine asked Behnken and Hurley was if they got any sleep on their way to the ISS and the two credited their sound sleep of nearly seven hours to the good airflow of the Crew Dragon capsule.

Watch Hurley and Behnken meet the ISS crew here:

NASA chief talks with Behnken and Hurley:

SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule had successfully docked with the International Space Station at 10:16am ET on May 31 with US Astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken. The Crew Dragon is the fifth spaceship to have been parked at the station but only the first to be manufactured by a private company. In a joint venture by NASA and SpaceX, the Crew Dragon capsule blasted off into space on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 on May 30 at 3:22pm ET and at least 19 hours later, Hurley and Behnken are currently having conversations with the 'VIPs' on earth before the welcoming ceremony at ISS officially began.

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'Phenomenal accomplishment'

According to reports, Crew Dragon’s linkup was automatic and it has occurred at least 422kilometers above the China-Mongolia border. Since the capsule was safely hatched to the space station, congratulatory messages have been flowing in for the astronauts and the teams working behind the mission. SpaceX Mission Control said from California, “Congratulations on a phenomenal accomplishment and welcome to the International Space Station.”

The historic ‘Launch America’ enabled a privately built and owned spacecraft to carry US astronauts to the orbiting lab for the first time. NASA, as well as the US government, has regarded the entire launch an opening volley in a business revolution not only on earth but also expanding it to outer space. NASA’s Mission Control also said on the radio to everyone at Houston, “Bravo on a magnificent moment in spaceflight history.” The docking has occurred minutes earlier as it was previously speculated to be happening at 10:29am ET.

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