posted 12-03-2019 05:14 PM               

SpaceX CRS-19 Mission Overview

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the CRS-19 Dragon spacecraft to low Earth orbit to deliver cargo to and from the International Space Station for NASA.

The 19th flight of up to 20 missions under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services contract with SpaceX, the CRS-19 Dragon will deliver approximately 5,700 pounds (2,600 kilograms) of research, logistics and spare hardware for the Expedition 61/62 crew including:

• a new science package for the Cold Atom Laboratory that will allow scientists to probe fundamental theories of gravity and can serve as a pathfinder for future instruments;

• a combustion experiment that will examine the behavior of flame as it spreads in differently-shaped confined spaces in microgravity;

• the Hyperspectral Imager Suite (HISUI), an Earth imaging system developed by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) that will seek prospective areas on the planet for energy resource exploration;

• a new external docking station to make it quicker and simpler for astronauts to deploy the Robotic External Leak Locator (RELL) used to detect ammonia coolant leaks;

• Rodent Research-19, which will further studies on molecular signaling pathways that influence muscle degradation to prevent skeletal muscle and bone loss during spaceflight, and enhance recovery following return to Earth; and

• a Global Barley Research experiment from Anheuser-Busch (Budweiser) that aims to look at barley seeds in microgravity.

The Dragon spacecraft that will support the CRS-19 mission previously supported the CRS-4 mission in September 2014 and the CRS-11 mission in June 2017.

Following stage separation, SpaceX will attempt to recover the Falcon 9's first stage on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

The CRS-19 Dragon will return to Earth with more than 3,800 pounds (1,700 kg) of cargo after spending about four weeks at the space station.

posted 12-05-2019 12:11 PM               

SpaceX Dragon Heads to Space Station with NASA Science, Cargo

A SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft is on its way to the International Space Station after launching at 12:29 p.m. EST Wednesday. Dragon will deliver more than 5,700 pounds of NASA cargo and science investigations, including studies of malting barley in microgravity, the spread of fire, and bone and muscle loss.

The spacecraft launched on a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida and is scheduled to arrive at the orbital outpost on Sunday, Dec. 8.

Dragon will join three other spacecraft currently at the station. Expedition 61 Commander Luca Parmitano of ESA (European Space Agency) will grapple Dragon with NASA astronaut Andrew Morgan acting as a backup. NASA's Jessica Meir will assist the duo by monitoring telemetry during Dragon's approach.

This delivery, SpaceX's 19th cargo flight to the space station under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services contract, will support dozens of new and existing investigations. NASA's research and development work aboard the space station contributes to the agency's deep space exploration plans, including future Moon and Mars missions.

Here are details about some of the scientific investigations Dragon is delivering:

• A Better Picture of Earth's Surface
  The Hyperspectral Imager Suite (HISUI) is a next-generation, hyperspectral Earth imaging system. Every material on Earth's surface – rocks, soil, vegetation, snow/ice and human-made objects – has a unique reflectance spectrum. HISUI provides space-based observations for tasks such as resource exploration and applications in agriculture, forestry and other environmental areas.

• Malting Barley in Microgravity
  Malting ABI Voyager Barley Seeds in Microgravity tests an automated malting procedure and compares malt produced in space and on the ground for genetic and structural changes. Understanding how barley responds to microgravity could identify ways to adapt it for nutritional use on long-duration spaceflights.

• Spread of Fire
  The Confined Combustion investigation examines the behavior of flames as they spreads in differently shaped confined spaces in microgravity. Studying flames in microgravity gives researchers a better look at the underlying physics and basic principles of combustion by removing gravity from the equation.

• Keeping Bones and Muscles Strong
  Rodent Research-19 (RR-19) investigates myostatin (MSTN) and activin, molecular signaling pathways that influence muscle degradation, as possible targets for preventing muscle and bone loss during spaceflight and enhancing recovery following return to Earth. This study also could support the development of therapies for a wide range of conditions that cause muscle and bone loss on Earth.

• Checking for Leaks
  NASA is launching Robotic Tool Stowage (RiTS), a docking station that allows Robotic External Leak Locator (RELL) units to be stored on the outside of space station, making it quicker and simpler to deploy the instruments. The leak locator is a robotic, remote-controlled tool that helps mission operators detect the location of an external leak and rapidly confirm a successful repair. These capabilities can be applied to any place that humans live in space, including NASA's lunar Gateway and eventually habitats on the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

These are just a few of the hundreds of investigations providing opportunities for U.S. government agencies, private industry, and academic and research institutions to conduct microgravity research that leads to new technologies, medical treatments and products that improve life on Earth. Conducting science aboard the orbiting laboratory will help us learn how to keep astronauts healthy during long-duration space travel and demonstrate technologies for future human and robotic exploration beyond low-Earth orbit to the Moon and Mars.

For almost 20 years, humans have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge and demonstrating new technologies, making research breakthroughs not possible on Earth that will enable long-duration human and robotic exploration into deep space. As a global endeavor, more than 230 people from 18 countries have visited the unique microgravity laboratory that has hosted more than 2,500 research investigations from researchers in 106 countries.

posted 12-08-2019 10:09 AM               

Dragon attached to space station

Expedition 61 commander Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency and flight engineer Drew Morgan of NASA captured SpaceX's CRS-19 Dragon cargo spacecraft on Sunday (Dec. 8) at 5:05 a.m. EST (1005 GMT) using the space station’s robotic arm Canadarm2.

Flight controllers in Houston then sent the commands for the robotic berthing of the Dragon to the Earth-facing side of the space station's Harmony module, which was achieved at 7:47 a.m. EST (1247 GMT).

posted 01-07-2020 09:10 AM               

Dragon departs space station

SpaceX's CRS-19 Dragon cargo spacecraft was released from the International Space Station on Tuesday (Jan. 7) at 5:05 a.m. EST (1005 GMT) after flight controllers in Houston used the Canadarm2 robotic arm to unberth the vehicle from the Harmony module.

Splashdown in the Pacific Ocean, 202 miles (325 kilometers) southwest of Long Beach, California, is targeted for approximately 10:41 a.m. EST (1541 GMT).

posted 01-07-2020 10:39 AM               

Splashdown of Dragon confirmed, completing this spacecraft's third mission to and from the space station!