posted 10-27-2023 01:00 PM               

SpaceX CRS-29 Mission Overview

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the CRS-29 Dragon spacecraft to deliver cargo to and from the International Space Station for NASA.

The ninth flight under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services-2 contract with SpaceX, the CRS-29 Dragon will carry research, logistics and hardware for the Expedition 70 crew including:

• Laser Communication from Space: NASA's ILLUMA-T investigation will test technology to provide enhanced data communication capabilities on the space station.

• Watching Waves in the Atmosphere: NASA's Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE) will use an infrared imaging instrument to measure the characteristics, distribution, and movement of atmospheric gravity waves (AGWs).

• Space Flight Induced Ovarian and Estrogen Signaling Dysfunction, Adaptation, and Recovery: A fundamental science investigation sponsored by NASA's Biological and Physical Sciences Division, it advances previous microgravity studies that seek to better understand the combined effects of spaceflight, nutritional, and environmental stresses on control of ovulation and resulting effects on the skeleton.

• Aquamembrane-3: An investigation from ESA (European Space Agency), it continues evaluation of replacing the multi-filtration beds used for water recovery on the space station with a type of membrane known as an Aquaporin Inside Membrane (AIM).

• Choctaw Heirloom Seeds: A project aimed at educational outreach that focuses on the preservation and cultivation of indigenous plant seeds.

The CRS-29 Dragon (C211) previously flew on the CRS-26 flight. It will return to Earth with research and cargo after spending about four weeks at the space station.

posted 11-09-2023 08:08 PM               

NASA, SpaceX Launch New Science, Hardware to Space Station

Following a successful launch of NASA's SpaceX 29th commercial resupply mission, scientific experiments and technology demonstrations, including studies of enhanced optical communications and measurement of atmospheric waves, are on their way to the International Space Station.

SpaceX's uncrewed Dragon resupply spacecraft, carrying about 6,500 pounds of cargo to the orbiting laboratory, launched on the company's Falcon 9 rocket at 8:28 p.m. EST, Thursday, Nov. 9, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The cargo spacecraft is scheduled to autonomously dock at the space station on Saturday, Nov. 11 at 5:21 a.m. and remain at the orbital outpost for about a month.

posted 11-11-2023 09:20 AM               

Dragon docks with space station

As the International Space Station passed more than 262 miles over central Brazil, SpaceX's CRS-29 Dragon cargo spacecraft autonomously docked to station's Harmony module at 5:07 a.m. EST (1007 GMT), with NASA astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O'Hara monitoring operations from the station.

After Dragon spends about one month attached to the space station, the spacecraft will return to Earth with cargo and research.

posted 12-21-2023 05:59 PM               

Dragon departs from space station

Following commands from ground controllers at SpaceX, the CRS-29 Dragon undocked from the forward-facing port of the International Space Station's Harmony module and fired its thrusters to move a safe distance away at 5:05 p.m. EST (2205 GMT) Thursday (Dec 21).

After re-entering Earth’s atmosphere, the spacecraft will make a parachute-assisted splashdown off the coast of Florida early Friday morning.

posted 12-22-2023 12:04 PM               

Splashdown of Dragon confirmed, completing SpaceX's 29th cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station!

Once Dragon has been retrieved by SpaceX's recovery team, the critical science aboard the spacecraft will be transported via helicopter to NASA's Kennedy Space Center and provided to researchers.