WASHINGTON, January 4, 2021 / PRNewswire / – The SpaceX Dragon that arrived at the International Space Station on the 21st mission is expected to leave the company’s replenishment services for NASA onwards Monday, January 11, loaded with 5,200 pounds of scientific experiments and other loads. NASA Television and the agency’s website will broadcast its live broadcast starting at 9 am EST.
The updated Dragon spacecraft will launch the first U.S. commercial cargo ship solution from the International Docking Adapter at 9:25 am, by a NASA astronaut Gover Victor monitoring the station board.
Dragon fires its thrushes to move a safe distance from the station’s front port of a Harmony model, then initiates deorbit firing to begin its re-entry series into the Earth’s atmosphere. Dragon is expected to perform the splashdown with parachute support around 9f – the first return of a spaceship in the Atlantic. The firing will not bring deorbit and shower on NASA TV.
Showering down the coast of Florida enabling science to quickly transport aboard the capsule to the body group Kennedy Space Center Space station processing facility, and back into the hands of the researchers. This shorter transport time allows researchers to collect data with minimal loss of microgravity effects. For splashdowns in the Pacific, fast-paced science products are being processed at the SpaceX facility in McGregor, Texas, and delivered to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Dragon launched December 6th on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Launch Complex 39A Kennedy Space Center into Florida, arriving at the station just over 24 hours later and completing the first autonomous dock of a U.S. commercial spacecraft. A previously captured Dragon spacecraft was captured and attached to the space station by astronauts working on the station’s robotic Canadarm2. The spacecraft delivered more than 6,400 pounds of hardware, research studies and crew supplies.
The updated improved Dragon capsule used for this mission includes twice as many power locks as previous capsules, allowing for a significant increase in reconnaissance exploration to Earth .
Some of the scientific studies that will bring Dragon back to Earth include:
Cardinal Heart
Microgravity causes changes in the workload and shape of the human heart, and it is not yet known whether these changes could be permanent if a person lived in space for more than a year. Cardinal Heart examines how changes in gravity affect cardiovascular cells at the cellular and tissue level using 3D nappies with a 3D engine, a type of tissue chip. The results could provide new insights into heart problems on Earth, help identify new treatments, and support the development of screening measures to predict cardiovascular risk from space light.
Space organogenesis
This study from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Research Group) shows the growth of 3D organ buds from human gas cells to analyze changes in gene expression. Cell cultures on Earth need supportive materials or forces to achieve 3D growth, but in microgravity, cell cultures can expand to three dimensions without these tools. Findings from this study could reveal benefits from using microgravity for advanced advances in regenerative medicine and could contribute to the establishment of technologies needed to create artificial organs.
Subtle address
The sextant used in the Sextant Navigation test returns to Earth. Sextants have a small telescope-like optical sight to accurately measure the angle between pairs of stars from land or sea, enabling computer-free navigation. Sailors have been navigating through shextants for centuries, and NASA’s Gemini missions made the first sextant sighting from a spacecraft. This study tested specific techniques for using sextant for emergency navigation on spacecraft such as NASA’s Orion, which takes humans on deep space missions.
Rodent research-23
This test examines the function of arteries, veins, and lymphatic structures in the eye and changes in the retina of mice before and after space light. The goal is to clarify whether these changes adversely affect visual function. At least 40 percent of astronauts experience vision impairment known as Spaceflight-Associated Syndrome (SANS) Neuro-ocular Syndrome on long-term space lighting, which can adversely affect mission success.
Thermal Amine Scrubber
This technology demonstration tested a way to remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from air aboard the International Space Station, using amine beds that were actively heated and cooled. Controlling CO2 levels at the station reduces the likelihood of crew members experiencing symptoms of CO2 buildup, which includes muscle weakness, headaches, respiratory problems, restless eyesight. , and itchy skin.
Bacterial adhesion and corruption
Bacteria and other microorganisms have been shown to grow as biofilm communities in microgravity. This test will identify the bacterial genes used during biofilm growth, examine whether these biofilms can grind stainless steel, and evaluate the efficacy of silver-based disinfectants. This study could provide insight into better ways to control and eliminate challenging biofuels, contributing to the long-term success of space lighting in the future.
Learn more about SpaceX missions for NASA at:
https://www.nasa.gov/spacex
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