Scott Powers
Shortly after midnight Monday a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket blasted off from Cape Canaveral, lifting a spacecraft full of supplies, including a new spacecraft docking hatch for the International Space Station.
The Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 12:45 a.m. with almost 5,000 pounds of cargo, including scientific supplies to conduct DNA sequencing in space — a first. The Dragon spaceship is supposed to dock at the International Space Station Wednesday morning. When it does, it will be SpaceX’s ninth successful mission bringing cargo to astronauts there under its commercial contract with NASA.
“Each commercial resupply flight to the space station is a significant event. Everything, from the science to the spare hardware and crew supplies, is vital for sustaining our mission,” Kirk Shireman, NASA’s International Space Station program manager stated in a news release issued by NASA. “With equipment to enable novel experiments never attempted before in space, and an international docking adapter vital to the future of U.S. commercial crew spacecraft, we’re thrilled this Dragon has successfully taken flight.”
Eight minutes after launch, the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket successfully landed at SpaceX’s landing pad at Cape Canaveral, another return success for the company that is recycling its rockets to reduce mission costs. It was the second time SpaceX has successfully brought a Falcon 9 back to land. It also has brought rockets back to an ocean barge.
“We just completed the post-landing inspection and all systems look good. Ready to fly again, SpaceX founder Elon Musk tweeted around 2:30 a.m.
The Dragon’s cargo included the new docking station that will be used when SpaceX and Boeing begin bringing astronauts up to the space station in a couple of years. The rest of the cargo will support more than 250 science and research investigations onboard the space station.
“Everyone’s hard work and dedication paid off today. This mission once again clearly demonstrates the successful collaboration we have with our mission partners at NASA and SpaceX as we continue to shape the future of America’s space operations, and serve as the World’s Premier Gateway to Space,” Brig. Gen. Wayne Monteith, 45th Space Wing commander, who served as the mission’s Launch Decision Authority, stated in a news release issued by the Air Force.
Photo Credit NASA/Frank Michaux.
