The SpaceX’s cargo ship named Dragon, has safely returned to earth after spending a month at the International Space Station. It carried thousands of pounds of cargo and science samples as it splashes down into the Pacific Ocean on Sunday.
The journey back to earth
The Spacex Dragon took five hours to get back to earth. It descended at around 5 a.m. ET from the Space Station and has reached earth’s orbit at 10:45 a.m. and landed in the west coast of Beja, California with the help of three parachutes. NASA crew plans to transport the cargo ship back to the Port of Long Beach.
NASA has contracted more than a dozen resupply mission amounting to over two billion dollars, the recent return by SpaceX Dragon was only its 10th by far. Moreover, NASA has a 2.6 billion dollar contract to create a manned version of the SpaceX Dragon to transport astronauts to and from the Space Station.
The SpaceX Dragon was launched in February of 2017 by a Falcon 9 rocket that delivered food, fuel and supplies to the Space Station, including a few scientific experiments. After returning to earth, its contents will be transported to various NASA laboratories which include samples from a tissue regeneration and bone defect study. This enables scientists to determine how weightlessness affects the regrowth of lost bone and tissue from wounds.
According to NASA, “This information will provide insight into how human cancers start and spread, which aids in the development of prevention and treatment plans. Results from this investigation could lead to the treatment of disease and injury in space, as well as provide a way to improve stem cell production for human therapy on Earth.”
A study by the US National Laboratory is determined if it is possible for humans and other animals of regeneration after spending time in microgravity.
Other missions
In addition, Orbital ATK has its own cargo ship, the Cygnus. It plans to launch its 7th mission on March 24 with the use of the United Launch Alliance 5 rocket that will send more than 7,500 pounds of supplies and additional equipment.