TEMPLE, Texas — While Americans cast their ballots on the ground, scientific equipment and supplies launched from Florida arrived at the International Space Station on Tuesday.
The SpaceX Dragon, carrying more than 6,000 pounds of materials destined for the orbital station, lifted off Monday at 8:29 p.m. CT from Launch Complex 39A at the NASA Kennedy Space Center.
It was NASA’s 31st SpaceX resupply mission. Viewers can watch Dragon safely connect with the ISS, marking its successful arrival here.
The resupply mission aims to support dozens of research experiments conducted in space. Some of the supplies include tools for examining solar wind and to observe the combined effects of cosmic radiation and microgravity on plants. Additionally, the Dragon’s crew brought a device in order to test cold welding of metals in microgravity.
These studies support future human exploration through NASA's Artemis campaign, which will send astronauts to the Moon to prepare for future expeditions to Mars.
Dragon is scheduled to remain at the space station until December when it will return to Earth with newfound research and cargo, splashing off the coast of Florida.