[ad_1]
On Sunday, SpaceX conducted its 21st commercial refueling services mission (CRS-21). The space company’s Falcon 9 rocket launched from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:17 am EST.
The launch marked the first exit into space for the updated version of the Dragon capsule. Is able to carry twenty% more volume than the previous version of Dragon and “has double the amount of cargo capacity of the motorized locker, “as SpaceX’s statement said.
Breaking various records, the upgraded Dragon ship can now travel up to five times to the International Space Station (ISS) and stay there for double the amount of time I could before.
SEE ALSO: SPACEX BREAKS RECORD WITH 7TH LAUNCH OF FALCON 9 IN ITS 100TH MISSION
The Dragon capsule was successfully separated from the second stage of the Falcon 9 rocket approximately 11 minutes after takeoff. On Monday, December 7, this stage will dock autonomously at the ISS.
Approximately nine minutes After launch, the first stage of the booster landed on Earth on one of SpaceX’s drone ships in the Atlantic Ocean, named “Of course I still love you,” in a smooth landing.
This week…
🐉 @SpaceX ready to launch cargo, @ISS_Research & a @Nanoracks airlock to @Spacial station
🌎 New findings from space science and Earth in the # AGU20 virtual meeting
🌖 Hardware installed in the @NASA_Orion spaceship for #Artemis IISee: https://t.co/jQrvICzxfg pic.twitter.com/KAEQNLF4P1
– NASA (@NASA) December 6, 2020
This was the fourth launch and landing of the first stage thruster, and it became the first thruster NASA used that had performed more than one flight. He had previously flown two NASA astronauts to the ISS on the Demo-2 mission this summer.
This launch marked a milestone as this was SpaceX’s 101st mission in the space.
Takeoff was originally scheduled for Saturday, but had to be postponed 24 hours due to inclement weather.
Yesterday’s cargo ship carries 6,400 lbs. (2,903 kg) of supplies and scientific information to the ISS, perhaps including some Christmas cheer for the crew. “The crew is going to put some kind of Christmas food into orbit, “said Kenny Todd, NASA’s deputy director of programs for the International Space Station (ISS) during a pre-launch press conference on December 4.
“I don’t think it’s a surprise to them, but nothing more than that … I don’t like being in front of Santa Claus.”
Helicopter follow-up footage of today’s Falcon 9 launch at LC-39A pic.twitter.com/7rYVZRTS18
– SpaceX (@SpaceX) December 7, 2020
Once the Dragon capsule docks on the Space Station today, it will become the second Dragon vehicle connected to the ISS at the same time, for the first time.
“This is the first time that we will have a pair of dragons on board. [the station] “We have the Dragon Crew and soon we will have a Dragon Cargo,” Todd said. “So there will be dragons everywhere you look. It will be a lot of fun.”
[ad_2]
