CAPE CANAVERAL (Fla.) SpaceX launched its 21st rocket today (Aug 29,). It sent a robotic Dragon cargo capsule towards the International Space Station (ISS), before landing at sea.
At 3:14 a.m. ET (0714 GMT), a Falcon 9 rocket launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center. It was the launch vehicle for the company's 23rd cargo replenishment mission to NASA's orbiting laboratory. The Dragon is loaded with supplies, hardware and scientific experiments, weighing in at more than 4,800 lbs (2,200 kg).
Eight minutes after liftoff, Falcon 9's first stage returned home to Earth. It landed on one of SpaceX's drone ships in Atlantic Ocean with a smooth landing. The company's newest drone ship, "A Shortfall Of Gravitas", is one of three recovery vessels that capture falling boosters and return them back to port for reuse later.
Andy Tran, SpaceX, said that this was the 90th successful landing an orbital-class rocket and the first for our new drone ship, "A Shortfall Of Gravitas," during a live webcast. It was a wonderful way to begin today's mission.
Related: SpaceX's Dragon Space capsule (infographic).
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the CRS-23 cargo flight to the International Space Station (NASA) on Aug. 29, 2021. NASA TV image credit
Launch details
Dragon is expected to dock at Harmony's space-facing port at 11:50 EDT (1500 GMT) on Monday. The orbiting laboratory already has a Crew Dragon "Endeavour" SpaceX vehicle, which was launched on April 23 and carries four astronauts. It's not the first occasion that two Dragons are parked simultaneously; in fact, at least one Dragon has docked to space station each day until 2021.
Weather officials from the Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron forecasted iffy weather for the mission's first launch attempt on Aug. 28. A 24-hour delay was caused by poor weather at launch site.
Fortunately, the forecast improved overnight and Falcon 9 was able get off the ground as planned.
Today's flight featured a first-stage booster known as B1061. It was three times a flier. After launching its third Dragon spacecraft, the launcher now has four successful missions.
Today's landing marked the 90th Falcon first stage recovery since SpaceX received its first booster in 2015.
Similar: A SpaceX rocket pilot lands on a droneship in stunning new video
SpaceX's robotic Dragon cargo capsule is separated from its Falcon 9 rocket's upper stage on Aug. 29, 2021. Image credit: NASA TV
Cargo haul
The cargo Dragon, a newly launched cargo rocket, is carrying a wealth of scientific investigations to the orbital outpost. It also includes a new robotic arm which will be tested inside the station's new airlock. The robotic arm will be used to demonstrate its ability to perform routine astronaut tasks.
There are also a number of medical payloads on board that will benefit astronauts and people on Earth. One of these payloads, the Nanofluidic Implant Communication Experiment(NICE), will test a new drug delivery device. This tiny implant could revolutionize the way people get their medication and help them manage chronic diseases.
The traditional method of drug delivery is via bulky pumps. But that may soon change. Researchers have stated that the device would be placed in the arm of a patient and deliver drugs at a set time, allowing them to continue their daily lives. Patients with rheumatoid and other chronic diseases would find this device extremely helpful.
Another experiment called MISSE-15 will examine different materials and their responses to the space environment. To test potential materials for spacecraft, samples of concrete, solar panels and other materials will be exposed to outer space's harsh environment.
This is not all. Joel Montalbano (ISS program manager at NASA), said that the crew would also receive some treats in the form fresh food and even ice cream.
Montalbano stated that "We're sending out a lot of fruit" during a prelaunch conference held on Friday, August 27. We have some lemons, onions and avocados. There are also cherry tomatoes. And ice cream. This is a huge hit with our crew."
There are over 4,800 pounds (2.200 kg) of cargo total that can be used to help astronauts conduct a range of research and restock the station.
It has been a busy summer at station with new solar arrays arriving and being installed, a new Russian science module and a Northrop Grumman Sygnus cargo ship.
Montalbano stated, "Working together with SpaceX and our other commercial providers was just an outstanding partnership that NASA and the commercial sector have established." "We are thrilled to launch this mission, and bring this amazing science to the station."
The new generation of Dragons
After SpaceX's 2020 retirement of its cargo Dragon, the Dragon-shaped capsule in gumdrop shape is now the third upgraded Dragon cargo craft that SpaceX has launched to the station. It is also the third Falcon 9 launch.
The current model can hold around 20% more cargo and is almost identical to its predecessor. It is also larger on the inside.
The craft can store powered payloads and can stay on the station twice as long than previous cargo Dragons. The cargo ships can now splash down in Atlantic Ocean, as opposed to the Pacific splashdowns that were used previously. This allows for faster science returns.
This means that researchers can return their data and samples faster than usual, in as little as four to nine hour after splashdown. SpaceX can return the Dragon's vehicle faster and perform maintenance and inspections before its next flight.
SpaceX's new Dragon version is more capable of handling the stresses of landing on water. This allows SpaceX to inspect and repair it quicker, with less downtime. Today's Dragon has flown two times since its first launch on CRS-21 last January.
Two Dragons previously flown will be parked simultaneously when the spacecraft docks with the orbital post on Monday morning.
Sarah Walker, SpaceX's Dragon Program Manager, said that this was the fourth Dragon launched this year. At least one more is expected to launch before 2021.
Walker stated that this year will mark the third consecutive year of at least four Dragon spacecraft being launched. Walker also stated that at most one Dragon spacecraft had been parked at the ISS each day this year.
Falcon ferry
This is the 21st SpaceX Falcon 9 flight this year. It also marks 105 consecutive successful SpaceX missions since 2015's launch failure. (A second anomaly was observed on the pad in 2016).
This marks also the 90th successful return of a booster from the first stage to the company.
Today's flight was manned by a Falcon 9 rocket veteran. B1061, the booster, has now completed four successful flights. Three of these flights were to ferry different Dragon spacecraft into orbit. This marks the SpaceX's first flight in almost two months since the Cape. On June 30, SpaceX's last flight took off and delivered more than 80 small satellites to space on a rideshare mission called Transporter-2.
SpaceX could be affected by the slowdown in launches, which could affect its plan to launch 40 rockets in 2021. Most of these rockets would carry its Starlink satellites into orbit. The necessary upgrades to satellites took much longer than anticipated, resulting in a temporary launch suspension. The company is now back in business, with a busy fall ahead. This includes the launch of the Crew-3 space station mission and Inspiration4 which will send four private citizens into orbit.
SpaceX depends on a fleet reusable rockets to maintain a high launch rate. SpaceX can reuse its boosters multiple times, instead of using a new rocket every time.
This is due to an upgrade to the Falcon 9 in 2018 and a fleet drone ships to catch returning boosters.
SpaceX currently has three of these huge ships: "Of course I Still Love You," and "Just Read the Instructions". The newest ship, "A Shortfall of Gravitas", is the newest.
The company sent "Of Course, I Still Love You" to California recently. There, the boat will be used for recovery operations in support of missions that launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.
Elon Musk, SpaceX CEO, has promised a new drone ship for years. "A Shortfall Of Gravitas" arrived in Port Canaveral on the 15th of July. The enormous ship can drive itself to the recovery zone, where it will await returning boosters. The tug must pull the two other ships of the company.
ASOG was first pulled by tug to the landing area, where it caught its first catch in less than eight minutes.
Follow Amy Thompson @astrogingersnap. Follow us on Facebook @Spacedotcom and Twitter @astrogingersnap
