Backdropped by Earth's horizon and the blackness of space, a portion of the International Space Station is featured in this image photographed by a crew member on the ISS while space shuttle Endeavour STS-130 mission remains docked with the station on February 15, 2010 UPI/NASA | License Photo

HAWTHORNE, Calif., Sept. 16 (UPI) -- A private U.S. space capsule will fly near the International Space Station but docking at the ISS has not been approved, a Russian space official says.

California-based SpaceX announced plans to send its Dragon capsule toward the orbiting lab Nov. 30 and has proposed a docking with the ISS nine days after launch.


"A flight by the Dragon to the ISS, but without berthing, has tentatively been scheduled for the end of this year," Vladimir Solovyov, head of the Russian segment of the ISS mission control center, said Friday.

Russia has said it will not allow the SpaceX vehicle to dock with the ISS unless its safety is fully tested, RIA Novosti reported.

"We will not issue docking permission unless the necessary level of reliability and safety is proven," Alexei Krasov, head of the human spaceflight department of Roscosmos, said. "So far we have no proof that this spacecraft duly complies with the accepted norms of spaceflight safety."

SpaceX has already successfully launched its Dragon capsule into orbit in a test flight.