SpaceX CRS-1 Mission Update #2: October 9, 2012 – as of 9:30 PM ET / 6:30 PM PT

Dragon has continued today on track and is scheduled to begin its final approach to the International Space Station in the morning of Wednesday, October 10.

Before capture, Dragon is required to pass a series of go/no-go points determined by Mission Control in Houston and the SpaceX team in Hawthorne. It will also establish its close-range guidance systems, comprised of LIDAR and thermal imagers.

If all goes according to plan, grapple is currently targeted for 7:17 AM ET/4:17AM PT; however, all times are variable and can change.

Key Times (all times variable):
5:13am et/2:13am pt – 250 meter hold (go/no-go)
6:25am et/3:25am pt – 30 meter hold (go/no-go)
6:57am et/3:57 am pt – 10 meter hold (go/no-go for capture)
7:17am et/4:17 am pt – Capture/grapple

See p. 5 and 6 of the SpaceX CRS-1 Mission Press Kit for additional information about grappling and berthing operations: http://www.spacex.com/downloads/spacex-crs-1-presskit.pdf