In article , says...

The point is that this mission is just two missions folded into one.
Previously NASA wanted SpaceX to fly one mission in which Dragon would
fly several "virtual" approaches to the ISS in safe distance only and
then in a second mission actually repeat the same with the real thing.
Now SpaceX will do the first mission first and when this works out fine,
go to the ISS and berth there within the same flight.

So: Before this Dragon comes near the ISS it will have done all of what
it will do there in a safe distance. If anything goes wrong then it will
*not* come near the ISS and reenter instead.

It's surely not the easiest thing to do, but it looks as if this has
been planned well.

Agreed. If NASA gave them the green light to combine the two missions
into one, they must have some confidence in SpaceX and Dragon.

Jeff
--
" Solids are a branch of fireworks, not rocketry. :-) :-) ", Henry
Spencer 1/28/2011