SpaceX to launch NASA's ISS bound cargo ship on April 21
Produced by Abhinav Yadav
Produced by Abhinav Yadav
SpaceX will launch its next Dragon cargo ship to the International Space Station (ISS) on April 21. The launch will happen before dawn from Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
The mission, called CRS-32, is scheduled to launch at 4:15 am EDT. It will use a Falcon 9 rocket and a reusable Dragon capsule, both developed by SpaceX.
The Dragon spacecraft will carry: - Food and basic supplies for astronauts - Spare parts and tools - Science experiments and research equipment
Among the research items: - Free-floating robot navigation tests - Advanced air quality monitor for Moon and Mars missions - Atomic clocks to test Einstein’s theory of relativity
SpaceX’s Dragon capsules and Falcon 9 rockets are reusable. The Dragon capsule will stay docked at the ISS for weeks, then return to Earth for reuse.
Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft also delivers NASA cargo to the ISS. However, its last launch was delayed after a some damages to the spacecraft during assembly at Florida's launch pad. Russia’s Progress spacecraft also delivers cargo to ISS.
CRS-32 shows how routine cargo missions help astronauts live and work in space. These supplies support science, health, and technology for current and future space exploration, including missions to the Moon and Mars.