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"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, said. "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."
The mission is the company's ninth cargo flight to the space station under NASA's CRS contract. Dragon's cargo will support dozens of the more than 250 science and research investigations during the station's Expeditions 48 and 49.
DNA testing aboard the station typically requires collecting samples and returning them to Earth. The Biomolecule Sequencer seeks to demonstrate, for the first time, that DNA sequencing is feasible in microgravity using a crew-operated, miniaturized device to identify microbes, diagnose diseases, monitor crew health and possibly help detect DNA-based life off the Earth.
Maintaining safe temperatures is difficult in space where there is no atmosphere to moderate the extreme heat and cold provided by direct unfiltered sunlight. The Phase Change Heat Exchanger will test temperature control for future spacecraft by using a continual process of freezing and thawing to maintain temperatures inside a spacecraft, thereby protecting crews and equipment.
The crew also will test a new efficient, three-dimensional solar cell.
Millions of Americans experience bone loss resulting from disease or the reduced effects of gravity that can occur in immobilized patients. New ground-based studies are using magnetic levitation equipment to simulate these gravity-related changes.
Research delivered under the space station's role as a U.S. National Laboratory includes OsteoOmics, a test to gauge whether magnetic levitation accurately simulates the free-fall conditions of microgravity by comparing genetic expression in different types of bone cells.
Improved understanding of the mechanisms behind bone loss could lead to better ways to prevent it during space missions. This also could contribute to better prevention of, and treatments for, bone loss as a result of diseases like osteopenia and osteoporosis, or from prolonged bed rest.
Another National Lab investigation called Heart Cells studies how microgravity changes the human heart and how those changes vary from one individual to another. Future exploration of the moon, asteroids or Mars will require long periods of space travel, which creates increased risk of health problems such as muscle atrophy, including possible atrophy of heart muscle.
Heart cells cultured aboard the space station for one month will be analyzed for cellular and molecular changes. Results could advance the study of heart disease and the development of drugs and cell replacement therapy.
Dragon is scheduled to depart the space station on Aug. 29. After splashdown in the Pacific Ocean, west of Baja California, more than 3,300 pounds of science, hardware, crew supplies and spacewalk tools will be returned to shore.
Robert Pearlman
Dragon arrives at space station
SpaceX's CRS-9 Dragon cargo spacecraft was bolted into place on the Harmony module at 9:03 a.m. CDT (1403 GMT) on Wednesday (July 20) as the International Space Station flew about 252 statute miles over the California and Oregon border.
Earlier in the day, at 5:56 a.m. CDT (1056 GMT), NASA astronauts Jeff Williams and Kate Rubins used the station's Canadarm2 robotic arm to capture the commercial resupply spacecraft, setting it up to be remotely berthed by flight controllers.
The Dragon is delivering nearly 5,000 pounds (2,270 kg) of science, hardware and supplies, including instruments to perform the first-ever DNA sequencing in space, and the first of two identical international docking adapters (IDA). The IDAs provide the means for commercial spacecraft to dock to the station in the near future as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
Dragon is scheduled to depart the space station Aug. 29 when it will return science research back to Earth.
Robert Pearlman
CRS-9 Dragon departs space station
SpaceX's CRS-9 Dragon resupply spacecraft was released from the International Space Station's robotic arm on Friday (Aug. 26) at 5:11 a.m. CDT (1011 GMT).
The cargo capsule made a series of departure burns and maneuvers to move beyond the 656-foot (200-meter) "keep out sphere" around the space station for its return trip to Earth. The Dragon is scheduled to splashdown in the Pacific Ocean at about 10:47 a.m. CDT (1547 GMT), approximately 326 miles (525 km) west of Baja California.
Following splashdown, the Dragon will be recovered from the ocean and put on a ship for transportation to a port near Los Angeles, where some cargo including research will be removed and returned to NASA within 48 hours.
Robert Pearlman
NASA release
SpaceX Dragon Splashes Down with Crucial NASA Research Samples
SpaceX's Dragon cargo spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean at 11:47 a.m. EDT Friday, Aug. 26, southwest of Baja California with more than 3,000 pounds of NASA cargo, science and technology demonstration samples from the International Space Station.
The Dragon spacecraft will be taken by ship to a port near Los Angeles, where some cargo will be removed and returned to NASA immediately. Dragon then will be prepared for a return trip to SpaceX's test facility in McGregor, Texas, for processing.
When it arrived at the station July 20, Dragon delivered the first of two international docking adapters (IDAs) in its external cargo hold, or "trunk." The IDAs will be used by commercial spacecraft now in development for transporting astronauts to the station as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. The initial adapter was installed during an Aug. 19 spacewalk by Expedition 48 Commander Jeff Williams and Flight Engineer Kate Rubins of NASA. The second adapter is being built and will be delivered on a future Dragon cargo resupply mission.
Among the experiment samples returning Friday are those from the Heart Cells study, which is looking at how microgravity affects human heart cells. The U.S. National Laboratory investigation is studying how microgravity changes the human heart, and how those changes vary between individuals. Deep space missions including the journey to Mars will require long periods of space travel, which creates increased risk of health problems such as muscle atrophy, including possible atrophy of the heart muscle. Heart cells cultured aboard the space station for one month will be analyzed for cellular and molecular changes. Results could advance the study of heart disease and the development of drugs and cell replacement therapy.
Samples will also be returned from two rodent-based investigations, the Mouse Epigenetics and Rodent Research-3-Eli Lilly experiments. The mouse model is useful for showing how much shorter stays by mice in the low-Earth environment can be used to infer how similar conditions may affect future human exploration.
In Mouse Epigenetics, researchers are exploring altered gene expression and DNA by tracking changes in the organs of male mice that spend one month in space, and examining changes in the DNA of their offspring. In Rodent Research-3-Eli Lilly, scientists are looking at rapid loss of bone and muscle mass in the legs and spine, and comparing it to what is experienced by people with muscle wasting diseases or with limited mobility on Earth and testing an antibody known to prevent muscle wasting in mice on Earth. This U.S. National Laboratory experiment is sponsored by pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Co. and the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space.
Also returning are samples from the Multi-Omics experiment. This research is analyzing the composition of microbes in the human digestive system and how they may affect the human immune system. Researchers may be able to identify bacterial or metabolic biomarkers that could be useful for astronaut health management, and therefore future human exploration of the solar system.
Dragon is currently the only space station resupply spacecraft able to return a significant amount of cargo to Earth. The spacecraft lifted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida July 18 carrying almost 5,000 pounds of supplies and scientific cargo on the company's ninth commercial resupply mission to the station.
Robert Pearlman
From SpaceX on Twitter:
Good splashdown of Dragon confirmed, carrying thousands of pounds of NASA science and research cargo back from the space station.
Recovery teams en route to Dragon, pic taken from about 10 miles out.
Robert Pearlman
From SpaceX on Instagram:
After more than a month at the ISS, Dragon had a successful return to Earth today. Now on recovery ship headed back to port for quick cargo handover to NASA.
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