posted 08-26-2021 04:25 PM               

SpaceX CRS-23 Mission Overview

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the CRS-23 Dragon spacecraft to deliver cargo to and from the International Space Station for NASA.

The third flight under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services-2 contract with SpaceX, the CRS-23 Dragon will carry research, logistics and hardware for the Expedition 65/66 crew including:

• APEX-08, an experiment that will study plants' genetic responses to stress to identify key targets for genetic engineering of plants more suited to microgravity.

• Faraday Research Facility, a new tool for conducting small experiments in microgravity. During this first mission, the facility will host a study testing remote drug delivery as well as experiments designed by Girl Scouts.

• MISSE-15 NASA, an externally-mounted platform that will expose materials such as concrete, thin-film solar cells and more to the harsh environment of space to test their performance and durability.

• GITAI Robotic Arm Tech Demo, a technology demonstration of a robotic arm designed to conduct common crew activities directed by teleoperations from Earth.

• READI-FP, an investigation studying how bio-collagen and bioactive metabolites sourced from waste products in wine production could have potential protective effects on bone tissue during spaceflight.

• Retinal Diagnostics, which will test the potential to capture images of the human retina in space using a commercially available ophthalmology lens. The lens is approved for routine clinical use with mobile devices.

The Falcon 9 first stage booster (B1061) supporting this mission previously launched SpaceX's Crew-1 and Crew-2 astronauts and the launch of SXM-8. Following stage separation, SpaceX will attempt to recover the Falcon 9's first stage on the autonomous drone ship "A Shortfall of Gravitas" in the Atlantic Ocean.

The CRS-23 Dragon previously supported SpaceX's 21st Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-21) mission. The CRS-23 Dragon will return to Earth with research and cargo after spending about four weeks at the space station.

posted 08-27-2021 09:10 PM               

SpaceX is targeting Saturday, August 28 for Dragon's launch of its 23rd Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-23) mission. Liftoff is targeted for 3:37 a.m. EDT, or 7:37 UTC, from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center, Florida.

A backup launch opportunity is available on Sunday, August 29 at 3:14 a.m. EDT, or 7:14 UTC.

posted 08-28-2021 02:33 AM               

Standing down from today's launch due to weather; next launch opportunity is Sunday, August 29 at 3:14 a.m. ET.

posted 08-28-2021 04:04 PM               

SpaceX is targeting Sunday, August 29 for Falcon 9’s launch of Dragon's 23rd Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-23) mission. Liftoff is targeted for 3:14 a.m. EDT, or 7:14 UTC, from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center, Florida.

posted 08-29-2021 02:28 AM               

Cutting-Edge Science Launches on NASA's SpaceX Cargo Resupply Mission

The latest SpaceX Dragon resupply spacecraft is bound for the International Space Station after launching at 3:14 a.m. EDT Sunday on a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, carrying more than 4,800 pounds of science experiments, crew supplies, and spacecraft hardware.

The cargo Dragon, launched on SpaceX's 23rd Commercial Resupply Services mission, is scheduled to autonomously dock at the station around 11 a.m. Monday, Aug. 30, and will remain at the station for about a month. NASA astronauts Megan McArthur and Shane Kimbrough will monitor arrival of the spacecraft.

The science experiments Dragon will deliver include:

• Building bone with byproducts

  REducing Arthritis Dependent Inflammation First Phase (READI FP) evaluates the effects of microgravity and space radiation on the growth of bone tissue and tests whether bioactive metabolites, which include substances such as antioxidants formed when food is broken down, might protect bones during spaceflight. The metabolites that will be tested come from plant extracts generated as waste products in wine production.

  Protecting the health of crew members from the effects of microgravity is crucial for the success of future long-duration space missions. This study could improve scientists' understanding of the physical changes that cause bone loss and identify potential countermeasures. This insight also could contribute to prevention and treatment of bone loss on Earth, particularly in post-menopausal women.

• Keeping an eye on eyes

  Retinal Diagnostics tests whether a small, light-based device can capture images of the retinas of astronauts to document progression of vision problems known as Space-Associated Neuro-Ocular Syndrome (SANS). The device uses a commercially available lens approved for routine clinical use and is lightweight, mobile, and noninvasive. The videos and images will be downlinked to test and train models for detecting common signs of SANS in astronauts.

  The investigation is sponsored by ESA (European Space Agency) with the German Aerospace Center Institute of Space Medicine and European Astronaut Centre.

• Robotic helpers

  The Nanoracks-GITAI Robotic Arm will demonstrate the microgravity versatility and dexterity of a robot designed by GITAI Japan Inc. Results could support development of robotic labor to support crew activities and tasks, as well as inform servicing, assembly, and manufacturing tasks while in orbit.

  Robotic support could lower costs and improve crew safety by having robots take on tasks that could expose crew members to hazards. The technology also has applications in extreme and potentially dangerous environments on Earth, including disaster relief, deep-sea excavation, and servicing nuclear power plants.

  The experiment will be conducted inside the Nanoracks Bishop Airlock, the space station's first commercial airlock.

• Putting materials to the test

  MISSE-15 NASA is one of a series of investigations on Alpha Space's Materials ISS Experiment Flight Facility, which is testing how the space environment affects the performance and durability of specific materials and components. These tests provide insights that support development of better materials needed for space exploration.

  Testing materials in space has the potential to significantly speed up their development. Materials capable of standing up to space also have potential applications in harsh environments on Earth and for improved radiation protection, better solar cells, and more durable concrete.

• Helping plants deal with stress

  Plants grown under microgravity conditions typically display evidence of stress. Advanced Plant EXperiment-08 (APEX-08) examines the role of compounds known as polyamines in the response of the small, flowering plant thale cress to microgravity stress. Because expression of the genes involved in polyamine metabolism remain the same in space as on the ground, plants do not appear to use polyamines to respond to stress in microgravity.

  APEX-08 attempts to engineer a way for them to do so. Results could help identify key targets for genetic engineering of plants more suited to microgravity.

• Easier drug delivery

  The Faraday Research Facility is a multipurpose unit that uses the space station's EXPRESS payload rack systems, which enable quick, simple integration of multiple payloads . On this first flight, the facility hosts a Houston Methodist Research Institute experiment and two STEM collaborations, including "Making Space for Girls" with the Girl Scouts of Citrus Council in Orlando, Florida.

  The Faraday Nanofluidic Implant Communication Experiment (Faraday-NICE) tests an implantable, remote-controlled drug delivery system using sealed containers of saline solution as surrogate test subjects. The device could provide an alternative to bulky, cumbersome infusion pumps, a possible game changer for long-term management of chronic conditions on Earth. Remote-controlled drug delivery could simplify administration for people with limitations.

  A partnership between Faraday and Girls Scouts allows troops to play a role in conducting the control experiments, including providing them with images of the same experiments that are happening in space. The studies involve plant growth, ant colonization, and the brine shrimp lifecycle.

These and other cutting-edge investigations join the hundreds of ongoing experiments in biology and biotechnology, physical sciences, and Earth and space science aboard the International Space Station. Advances in these areas will help 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 through NASA's Artemis program.

posted 08-30-2021 09:36 AM               

Dragon cargo craft docks to station

The SpaceX CRS-23 Dragon cargo spacecraft autonomously docked to the space-facing side of the International Space Station's Harmony node on Monday (Aug. 30) at 10:30 a.m. EDT [1430 GMT]. The two spacecraft linked up while traveling 264 statute miles (425 km) above Western Australia.

Expedition 35 crew members Megan McArthur and Shane Kimbrough monitored the Dragon's approach from aboard the space station.

"Congratulations to the NASA and SpaceX teams. Many thanks, no one has ever sent me a spacecraft for my birthday before, radioed McArthur, who was born on Aug. 30, 1971. "I appreciate it."

posted 09-30-2021 09:32 AM               

Cargo Dragon undocks from space station

With NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough monitoring aboard the International Space Station, SpaceX's Dragon CRS-23 cargo spacecraft undocked from the space-facing port on the Harmony module on Thursday (Sep. 30) at 9:12 a.m. EDT (1312 GMT).

The Dragon will fire its thrusters to perform a deorbit burn later in the day that will begin its re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. The spacecraft will make parachute-assisted splashdown around 11 p.m. EDT (0300 GMT) off the coast of Florida.

posted 09-30-2021 11:46 PM               

Splashdown of Dragon confirmed, completing SpaceX's 23rd cargo resupply mission to the space station!