December 23, 2024

SpaceX Dragon cargo ship undocks from space station for trip back to Earth

A SpaceX Dragon freight ship is headed back to Earth. The uncrewed Dragon CRS-24 resupply ship undocked from the International Space Station on Sunday (Dec. 23) after simply over a month linked to the orbiting lab. The spacecraft, packed with more than 2 lots of equipment, cast off from the station at 10:40 a.m. EST (1540 GMT) after a two-day delay due to landing site weather condition. The spacecraft is set to crash off Floridas western coast on Monday. ” Dragon separation validated,” NASA astronaut Tom Marshburn radioed Mission Control from the station as the SpaceX capsule undocked. Dragon and the station were sailing high above the South Pacific Ocean at the time.Related: Live updates from the International Space Station SpaceXs Dragon CRS-24 cargo ship is arranged to splash down in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Panama City, Florida at 4:05 p.m. EST (2105 GMT) on Monday afternoon, although the landing will not be transmitted, NASA officials said. The spacecraft is carrying more than 4,900 pounds (2,200 kgs) of science experiment outcomes and other station equipment back to Earth. ” Expedition 66 wishes the Dragon well on its return,” Marshburn informed Mission Control on behalf of the stations present Expedition 66 team. “Congratulations to Houston and SpaceX. Cant wait to see what the results bring.” SpaceX released the Dragon CRS-24 freight ship on Dec. 21 to deliver more than 6,500 pounds (2,900 kg) of supplies, science gear and other hardware. It came to the station on Dec. 23 to finish its delivery, which likewise consisted of some Christmas treats for the station crew.The Dragon spacecraft has actually gone to the area station prior to. SpaceX used it to deliver cargo for NASA on the CRS-22 delivery mission in June 2021. Once it returns to Earth Monday, SpaceX teams will obtain the capsule with healing ships and deliver its science and cargo haul to NASA.Some of that freight going back to Earth includes some much anticipated science results. Loaded aboard the capsule are arises from a research study called “Cytoskeleton” to study how weightlessness impacts the cells of mammals, science that could one day assistance astronauts on long-duration space objectives. The outcomes from another study, called InSpace-4, may assist scientists establish brand-new ways to utilize nanoparticles to build new materials for spaceflight. A close-up of SpaceXs CRS-24 cargo ship as it departed the International Space Station on Jan. 23, 2022. (Image credit: NASA TELEVISION) One old item making a return to Earth is the Light Microscopy Module, or LMM, an as soon as state-of-the-art imaging microscope that has been aboard the space station since 2009. It is now being retired from service.” Sponsored by NASAs Biological and Physical Sciences department, this effective diagnostic tool enabled unique research of microscopic phenomena in microgravity, supplying the capability to remotely get and download images and videos at lots of levels of zoom,” NASA officials composed in a declaration. “LMM made it possible to tape-record the method and observe matter is arranged and carries on the tiny level.” While NASA will not broadcast the descent and splashdown of the Dragon CRS-24 freight ship, you will be able to follow its progress online. NASA will publish updates on the spacecrafts return on its spaceport station blog site. SpaceX is also expected to post an upgrade on its Twitter page with the splashdown outcomes Monday afternoon.Email Tariq Malik at [email protected] or follow him @tariqjmalik. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Instagram..

The uncrewed Dragon CRS-24 resupply ship undocked from the International Space Station on Sunday (Dec. 23) after simply over a month linked to the orbiting lab.” Dragon separation verified,” NASA astronaut Tom Marshburn radioed Mission Control from the station as the SpaceX pill undocked. It got here at the station on Dec. 23 to complete its shipment, which likewise included some Christmas deals with for the station crew.The Dragon spacecraft has visited the space station prior to. A close-up of SpaceXs CRS-24 freight ship as it left the International Space Station on Jan. 23, 2022.