SpaceX Dragon spacecraft carrying about 2,500 kgs of experiments and supplies for ISS (International Space Station) is scheduled to launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Saturday at 10:01 AM ET (8:31 PM IST).
SpaceX Dragon: Resupply Mission
Astronauts; Shane Kimbrough of NASA and Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency will use the arm to capture Dragon and maneuver it to its berthing port on the station. The SpaceX resupply mission is expected to last about a month with a Dragon capsule being detached from the station by the robotic arm.
The dragon will fly back on its own, SpaceX and NASA mission controllers will watch over its progress and process. With a heat shield, Dragon is protected by atmospheric heat (while entering back to earth) and will splash down in the pacific ocean, from where it will be recovered and will be handed over to researchers.
ALSO READ: Falcon 9 Successfully Launched And Landed Smoothly: SpaceX Is Back!
SpaceX will deliver advanced space research to improve disease-fighting drugs, observe Earth’s climate and automate spacecraft navigation. The forecast issued from the 45th Weather Squadron calls for a 60 percent chance of acceptable conditions Saturday morning for the launch of the CRS-10 mission.
Elon Musk (CEO, SpaceX) tweeted;
Investigating a (very small) leak in the upper stage. If ok, will launch tomorrow. https://t.co/bQf97lywn4
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 17, 2017
Elon Musk (CEO, SpaceX) tweeted that while investing the spacecraft, a “very small” leak in the upper stage came into notice and if it is solved then there will be no change in the launch schedule. But if the launch does not occur on Saturday, then the next launch opportunity is on Sunday.
Image Credits: SpaceX
Leave a Reply