The new version of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft makes its first cargo flight into orbit following the liftoff above the Falcon 9 rocket on Sunday morning.
Dragon 2 is heading to the International Space Station as part of the 21st launch under the Commercial Resilience Services Agreement between Elon Musk’s Rocket Company and NASA.
The new, upgraded Dragon can carry 50% more science payload Comparison with previous versions according to SpaceX. This version has previously been sent to astronauts during Demo-2 and in the ISS Crew-1 mission For NASA, however, this is the first Dragon 2 cargo mission.
In addition to supplies for astronauts and the station, CRS-21 is conducting several experiments for the ISS, including The first COVID-19 drug research experiment In space A number of biological investigations will take advantage of technologies such as tissue-no-chip and brain organoids, which can be used to mimic human tissues and record how they respond to microorganisms.
Another experiment on board is the biosteroids, the purpose of which is to help determine whether organisms such as fungi can be used to extract valuable substances such as rare earth metals from asteroids or to sustain the foundations of other worlds.
“We’re looking to see if those microbes can get the elements they want to use in industry from the surfaces and interiors of asteroids,” Charles Cockle, chief investigator at Byster Aster Road, said in a NASA video below.
Flying on the Dragon is a new Arol module module from Nanorex that is similar to the Japanese Air Lock already on the ISS, but significantly larger. New infrastructure may allow cubets or other payloads to be deployed into space from the space station.
The Falcon 9 booster that took off Dragon 2 from the Florida launch pad at 8:17 a.m. was making its fourth flight to PT Sunday and was then followed by its fourth successful landing on the drone ship of course I Still Love You in the Atlantic.
The dragon should dock with the ISS on Monday. His arrival will be broadcast on NASA TV at 8:30 a.m. PT, which is scheduled with PT at 10:30 a.m. and you can watch below.
