Theresa Cross
November twenty sixth, 2022
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket launches the CRS-26 cargo mission to the Worldwide House Station. Credit score: Theresa Cross / Spaceflight Insider
SpaceX launched the CRS-26 cargo Dragon resupply mission to the Worldwide House Station.
At 2:20 p.m. EST (19:20 UTC) Nov. 26, 2022, from Launch Complicated 39A at NASA’s Kennedy House Middle in Florida, the CRS-26 cargo Dragon left Earth atop a Falcon 9 rocket for the corporate’s twenty sixth resupply mission to the Worldwide House Station.
This Dragon flight to the ISS represents the fifty fifth SpaceX mission of 2022 and the primary for Dragon C211, which is the third cargo Dragon variant within the firm’s fleet — every is anticipated to fly no less than 5 occasions.
SpaceX shall be delivering cargo in accordance with the second Industrial Resupply Providers contract awarded to the corporate by NASA in 2016 for resupply missions. In actual fact, as we speak is the sixth flight for the CRS2 contract.
There are two different autonomous spacecraft at present able to launching cargo to the ISS: Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus and Russia’s Progress spacecraft — each are disposable. Solely Dragon is at present able to returning cargo from orbit.
Credit score: Theresa Cross / Spaceflight Insider
As we speak’s launch to the orbiting laboratory incorporates numerous scientific experiments and technology demonstrations. It additionally has two new photo voltaic arrays to spice up the facility producing functionality of the ISS. These are the third and fourth new arrays to be sent to the outpost with two more expected next year.
Among the experiments aboard are the Veggie experiment, which is anticipated to aim to develop extra recent greens with the goal of well being enhancements to the ISS crew. The objective of Veggie is to be low upkeep and ease of operation so the crew can deal with different tasks as they wait to reap the vegetation for consumption.
There’s additionally the Moon Microscope experiment, which is targeted on creating an efficient, environment friendly manner of study of blood smears from astronauts in a light-weight, compact instrument in microgravity.
Additionally aboard is the Extrusion experiment, which is sending liquid resin to the ISS to be used in customized varieties solely possible in microgravity and can use the Nanoracks Black Field requiring crew set up and elimination.
The primary stage of this Falcon 9 rocket, core B1076, carried out its first flight. It was recovered efficiently downrange within the Atlantic Ocean after touchdown on SpaceX’s autonomous drone ship “Simply Learn the Directions.”
CRS-26 Dragon ought to dock with the area station at about 7:30 a.m. EST (12:30 UTC) Nov. 27 the place it can stay for about 45 days for the seven-person Expedition 68 crew to unload. After the capsule returns to Earth, it’ll be refurbished for use for a future mission to the ISS.
Credit score: Theresa Cross / Spaceflight Insider
Video courtesy of NASA
Theresa Cross
Theresa Cross grew up on the House Coast. It’s solely pure that she would develop a ardour for something “House” and its exploration. Throughout these adolescence, she additionally found that she possessed a expertise and love for outlining the distinctive quirks and intricacies that exist in mankind, nature, and machines.
Hailing from a household of photographers—together with her father and her son, Theresa herself began documenting her world via footage at a really early age. As an grownup, she now displays an innate photographic means to mix what appeals to her coronary heart and her love of know-how to ship a diversified method to her work and creative displays.
Theresa has a background in water chemistry, fluid dynamics, and industrial utility.
