SpaceX - Dragon CRS-24 Mission patch.
Dec 18, 2021
Weather officials with Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s 45th Weather Squadron predict a 40% chance of favorable weather conditions for Tuesday’s launch, with the cumulous cloud, thick cloud layer, and surface electric field rules being the primary weather concerns.
Image above: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, topped with the Dragon spacecraft, is seen inside the company’s hangar at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Aug. 24, 2021, prior to being rolled out to the launch pad in preparation for the 23rd commercial resupply services launch. The mission delivered science investigations, supplies, and equipment to the crew aboard the International Space Station. Image Credit: NASA.
SpaceX is targeting Dec. 21, at 5:06 a.m. EST, to launch its 24th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station for NASA. Liftoff will be from Launch Complex 39A at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft will deliver new science investigations, supplies, and equipment for the international crew.
Some of the NASA science investigations launching as part of Dragon’s 6,500 pounds of cargo include a protein crystal growth study that could improve how cancer treatment drugs are delivered to patients and a handheld bioprinter that could one day be used to print tissue directly onto wounds for faster healing. There are also experiments from students at several universities as part of the Student Payload Opportunity with Citizen Science (SPOCS) program and an investigation from the makers of Tide that examines detergent efficacy in microgravity.
Animation above: SpaceX Falcon 9 / Dragon Commercial Resupply Service (CRS) launch. Animation Credit: SpaceX.
Live coverage will air on NASA Television, the NASA app and the agency’s website, with prelaunch events starting Tuesday at 4:45 a.m. You can also join us here on the blog for live updates.
Related article:
Experiments Riding 24th SpaceX Cargo Mission to Space Station Study Bioprinting, Crystallization, Laundry
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2021/12/experiments-riding-24th-spacex-cargo.html
Related links:
SpaceX: https://www.spacex.com/
NASA Television: http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv
Protein crystal growth study: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=8616
Handheld bioprinter: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=8552
Student Payload Opportunity with Citizen Science (SPOCS): https://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/stem_on_station/spocs.html
International Space Station (ISS): https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html
Image (mentioned), Animation (mentioned), Text, Credits: NASA/Patti Bielling.
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