A SpaceX-owned Dragon cargo capsule parachuted into the Gulf of Mexico early Wednesday, returning 4,400 kilos of science gear and {hardware} from the Worldwide House Station after a 45-day resupply mission.
The gumdrop-shaped cargo capsule splashed down within the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Tampa, Florida, at 5:19 a.m. EST (1019 GMT) Wednesday. The Dragon spacecraft plunged into Earth’s ambiance over the USA, flying from northwest to southeast as temperatures exterior the ship’s warmth defend reached 3,500 levels Fahrenheit (1,900 levels Celsius).
4 essential parachutes opened to gradual the capsule to a delicate splashdown. SpaceX’s groups primarily based on the restoration ship “Megan” pulled the spacecraft out of the ocean for a visit again to Port Canaveral, Florida, the place the Dragon capsule can be transported to a refurbishment facility at Cape Canaveral House Power Station for preparations for a future mission.
The Dragon spacecraft returned to Earth with a protecting vest that was examined by astronauts on the Worldwide House Station to measure how nicely the garment protects towards harmful radiation. The mission additionally introduced house a plant development experiment and different scientific analysis specimens.
The capsule additionally hauled house excessive stress oxygen and nitrogen fuel tanks that can be refilled on the bottom for a future launch, a catalytic reactor for the station’s life assist system, a stress management and pump meeting for the urine processing system, multifiltration beds for the station’s water processor, a mass spectrometer and hydrogen sensor, and potable water dispenser filters.
The {hardware} can be refurbished on the bottom for a future launch again to the Worldwide House Station.
The Dragon spacecraft undocked from the house station’s Concord module Monday, then fired its Draco thrusters for a sequence of departure burns to again away from the complicated. The departure arrange for a deorbit burn forward of Wednesday morning’s re-entry and splashdown.
The unpiloted provide ship launched Nov. 26 from NASA’s Kennedy House Heart in Florida, driving a Falcon 9 rocket into orbit to start pursuit of the house station. The Dragon spacecraft autonomously linked up with the station Nov. 27, delivering greater than 7,700 kilos of provides and experiments.
The mission was SpaceX’s twenty sixth resupply flight since 2012 to ship cargo to the house station, and was the primary flight of SpaceX’s latest Cargo Dragon capsule, designated Dragon C211. That is the ultimate reusable Cargo Dragon spacecraft SpaceX plans to construct to satisfy NASA’s cargo transportation wants for the station by way of 2030.
For the trek to the house station, the CRS-26 mission was full of {hardware}, provides, and experiments for the house station and the seven-person crew dwelling on-board the complicated. The biggest factor of the cargo load was NASA’s second pair of latest roll-out photo voltaic arrays to enhance the house station’s energy system.
NASA astronauts Frank Rubio and Josh Cassada accomplished two spacewalks final month to put in the brand new photo voltaic array wings, which is able to increase the lab’s electrical manufacturing functionality for the following decade. The spacecraft additionally carried vacation meals and treats, and eight CubeSats from groups in Brazil, the USA, Canada, Italy, and Taiwan that can be deployed later exterior the house station.
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