After a succession of rocket burns to fine-tune its pursuit of the International Space Station, the commercial Dragon spacecraft is due for a flyby of the complex Thursday, a crucial prerequisite for the ship's planned arrival at the outpost Friday. Artist's concept of the Dragon spacecraft approaching the International Space Station. Credit: SpaceX/NASA Since it launched aboard a Falcon 9 rocket at 3:44 a.m. EDT (0744 GMT) on Tuesday, Dragon has accomplished GPS navigation tests, abort demonstrations, and a test to see if the craft could turn off its control thrusters and enter free drift mode, the condition necessary for the space station's robot arm to reach out and grapple the...
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