Missions
NASA's 35th SpaceX Resupply Mission Set for Oct. 13
Dragon will carry eye and heart experiments, a final pair of solar arrays, and a failed robotic arm joint back to Earth.
NASA and SpaceX plan to launch the 35th commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station no earlier than Tuesday, Oct. 13. The Falcon 9 rocket will lift off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, carrying a Dragon spacecraft loaded with more than 6,300 pounds of supplies, equipment, and new science experiments, about the weight of two compact cars. Once in orbit, Dragon will autonomously dock to the space-facing port of the Harmony module.
The mission includes several experiments that could benefit people on Earth. LambdaVision-1 tests building artificial eye retinas one thin layer at a time in microgravity, which may produce more uniform layers for implants that could restore vision for retinal disease patients. Stellar Spheroids grows 3D human heart tissue to study better vessel formation and drug testing. ELF-Unconventional Glass 2 examines how glass forms in microgravity, aiming for stronger and more durable materials for spacecraft. MINDS studies brain organoids to understand neuroinflammation and potential treatments for Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and multiple sclerosis.
Along with science, Dragon is carrying the final pair of International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Arrays (IROSAs) to complete the station's power augmentation. It also includes a collapsible contingency urinal for the Artemis III mission, and a large foam clamshell to return a failed joint from Canadarm2 that was replaced during a June 30 spacewalk. Other gear includes a toilet dose pump, a toilet pretreat quality sensor, and a robotic tool for station maintenance.
NASA astronauts Anil Menon and Jessica Watkins will monitor the spacecraft's arrival. Dragon will stay docked for about a month before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean in mid-November, bringing back the failed Canadarm2 joint for analysis and refurbishment, along with a spacesuit, a pump assembly, and a filtration unit.
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