SpaceX completes resupply mission
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. โ The SpaceX Cargo Dragon undocked from the space station Tuesday morning and completed the splashdown off Floridaโs west coast. A day after the weather postponed the undocking, Dragon got the green light to undock around 9:05 a.m. Tuesday. ๐ The upgraded @SpaceX cargo Dragon successfully undocked from the @Space_Station at 9:05am ET & is on its way back to Earth for splashdown on Jan. 13, west of Tampa off the coast of Florida. @ISS_Research will be delivered to researchers at @NASAKennedy: https://t.co/Dqltf5ME8X pic.twitter.com/esYxtUmBfH โ NASA (@NASA) January 12, 2021Back at the space station, the crew onboard is preparing for upcoming spacewalks planned for Jan. 19 and 25. Commander Mike Hopkins and pilot Victor Glover, who both flew aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon in November, will conduct both spacewalks.
SpaceX successfully launches supplies to space station
SpaceX launched its 21st cargo supply mission for NASA from Kennedy Space Center Sunday. Currently, there are four NASA astronauts, one Japanese and two Russian cosmonauts on the ISS. Autonomous docking tomorrow at approximately 1:30 p.m. EST pic.twitter.com/NJhm7q7PP7 โ SpaceX (@SpaceX) December 6, 2020[READ MORE: Christmas delivery: Station supply run includes new door to space, fresh fruits and veggies for astronauts]Do rocket launches interest you? If you answered yes, it sounds like you need to listen to News 6โฒs space podcast, Space Curious. Space Curious was created to inspire everyone, from those with a mild interest in space exploration to the space fanatics.
SpaceX prepares to make supply run to space station for NASA with upgraded Dragon
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. โ SpaceX is preparing to launch a Dragon spaceship from Florida this weekend making its last supply run to the International Space Station until next year. Space Force weather officers are predicting a 50% chance of good weather and conditions are risky for a rocket booster landing at sea. This will be the first launch of SpaceXโs new and improved cargo Dragon spacecraft, not to be confused with the Crew Dragon spacecraft that has now launched two sets of humans to the ISS. After launch, Dragon will arrive at the ISS Sunday almost 24 hours after it departs Floridaโs Space Coast. For all previous 20 deliveries by SpaceX, an astronaut would grab the spacecraft with the space stationโs robotic Canadaarm.
December looks to build on Space Coastโs rapid rocket launch cadence
Despite 2020โฒs breakneck rocket launch cadence, the Space Coast likely has just enough missions left up its sleeve to push the year even further into record-breaking territory, News 6 partner Florida Today reports. This yearโs cadence has been hosted entirely by SpaceX Falcon 9 and United Launch Alliance Atlas V rockets. The 11:39 a.m. liftoff will mark the first time SpaceX flies its updated Cargo Dragon spacecraft for NASA. SpaceX will likely announce a target date after the ISS cargo launch. SpaceX has also not confirmed if December will host any Starlink constellation launches, which make up more than half of the Space Coastโs 2020 cadence.