The most delicate moments of any mission
Launch gets all the media attention, but docking (when a spacecraft physically joins the ISS) and reentry (when a capsule returns to Earth's atmosphere with the outgoing crew) are just as critical maneuvers, and NASA broadcasts them in full on its main channel.
This channel also centralizes coverage of special events that don't fit a fixed category: press conferences, outreach activities with the crew live from the station, and joint coverage whenever several agencies are involved in the same operation.
What to watch for during a docking
- Gradual approach of the spacecraft to the station, moving at just centimeters per second in the final meters.
- "Soft capture" confirmation followed by an airtight seal between the two structures.
- Hatch opening and welcome of the incoming crew, usually several hours after initial contact.
💡 Technical detail: before opening the hatch, both spacecraft equalize air pressure to avoid a sudden change that could damage the seals or be uncomfortable for the crew. That equalization process can take over an hour.
Reentry: the trip home
When a crew completes its mission, the capsule separates from the ISS, slows its orbital speed, and descends through the atmosphere, generating temperatures of several thousand degrees on its heat shield. NASA broadcasts this process with real-time trajectory graphics all the way to splashdown or landing — one of the tensest, and most visually striking, moments of any space mission.