SpaceX launched a Cargo Dragon resupply ship to the International Space Station (ISS). The Dragon will restock the crew with scientific experiments and supplies. It was launched by a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The launch took place on Sunday, August 29th, at 3:14 a.m. ET. The launch was earlier, delayed due to bad weather. The original launch date was one day earlier. It is expected to arrive on August 30th. It is the 23rd resupply mission undertaken by SpaceX to the ISS.
NASA gives regular updates on the journey of the Dragon. It confirmed that the nosecone was open, and it had reached orbit on its way to the space station. NASA clarified that the Dragon carries “more than 4,800 pounds of research, crew supplies, and hardware to the International Space Station.”
Another important milestone achieved by SpaceX is the catching of the first stage booster onto its new droneship. The booster supplies fuel for the first part of the launch. The first phase marks the most difficult process of fighting against gravity. After this hard phase passes, the booster is no longer required and falls back to the Earth. SpaceX introduced a method to catch these boosters that fall back and reuse them. It saves a good amount of money. The droneship trained for catching these boosters was launched by SpaceX recently with the name A Shortfall of Gravitas. This droneship successfully completed its first catch by catching the booster that fell off from the Dragon. SpaceX has shared the footage of the same.
Upon arrival at the ISS, the Dragon will be automatically attached to the Harmony module’s forward-facing port. The process will be moderated by two ISS crew members, NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur.
