NEW YORK: The next launch of a SpaceX Dragon cargo capsule to the International Space Station was to have taken place today, but it was cancelled due to unfavorable weather. According to a post on NASA’s Space Station blog, the launch will instead take place tomorrow, April 14, at 4:10 p.m. EST. There is a 50 percent change of clement weather tomorrow. NASA Television will cover the event starting at 3:00 p.m.
This mission will be the sixth resupply mission to the ISS carried out by a SpaceX Dragon atop a Falcon 9 rocket. The Dragon capsule contains over 4,300 pounds of experiments and supplies. These items are necessary for around 40 of the over 250 experiments to be undertaken during Expeditions 43 and 44.
According to NASA’s mission overview, the experiments aboard the Dragon will allow ISS astronauts to examine a range of research topics. This include ways to mitigate damage to cells during space travel, how osteocyte bone cells react to microgravity, ongoing investigations of changes to astronauts’ vision during time in space, and assess a new material that could act as synthetic muscle for future robots with more human-like abilities. Also on board is an espresso machine for the crew.
The Dragon capsule will spend five weeks docked at the space station as the crew unloads the fresh cargo and stows another load of material on board for return to Earth. This will include over 3,000 pounds of experiments, hardware, and garbage. The Dragon will splash down in the Pacific off of Baja California. SpaceX will carry out a total of 15 ISS resupply missions under a Commercial Resupply Services contract.
