SpaceX will conduct far-field rendezvous and systems demonstrations during the Dragon spacecraft's first day in orbit. The tests are necessary to prove the capsule is fit to rendezvous with the space station.

NOTE: GMT is +4 hours ahead of Eastern Daylight Time.

Day 1

May 22, 2012

0744:38 GMT....Launch. 0754:27 GMT....Dragon deployed from Falcon 9 second stage. 0756:31 GMT....Begin extending Dragon's two solar array wings. 0839:27 GMT....Demonstrate absolute GPS. This milestone tests Dragon's ability to determine its position in space based on GPS satellite navigation. 1011:26 GMT....Start GNC bay door deployment. The bay door contains Dragon's rendezvous sensors necessary to reach the space station. 1025:27 GMT....Check out relative navigation sensors. The Dragon spacecraft uses a LIDAR, or laser, instrument to attain position, range and attitude information on the space station. Dragon's rendezvous suite also includes a thermal imager. 1631:30 GMT....Demonstrate full abort. SpaceX will test the spacecraft's ability to abort its approach to the space station with a continuous burn. 1742:36 GMT....Demonstrate pulsed abort. This test demonstrates Dragon's ability to abort its approach with pulsed burns. 1822:36 GMT....Demonstrate free drift. This test demonstrates Dragon's ability to turn off its attitude thrusters and go to free drift mode.

Data source: SpaceX