SpaceX – Dragon CRS-26 Mission patch.
Jan 11, 2023

Picture above: The SpaceX Dragon cargo craft is pictured departing the neighborhood of the area station following its undocking from the Concord module’s space-facing port. Picture Credit score: NASA.
SpaceX’s uncrewed Dragon cargo spacecraft splashed down at 5:19 a.m. EST Wednesday, Jan. 11, off the coast of Tampa, Florida, marking the return of the corporate’s twenty sixth contracted cargo resupply mission to the Worldwide Area Station for NASA. The spacecraft carried roughly 4,400 kilos of beneficial scientific experiments and different cargo again to Earth.

Dragon cargo splash down. Animation Credit score: NASA
A number of the scientific investigations returned by Dragon embrace:
– Deep area radiation safety: A vest designed to guard astronauts from excessive doses of radiation attributable to unpredictable photo voltaic particle occasions is returning to Earth after months of testing. Crew members wore the Astrorad vest whereas performing each day duties and supplied suggestions about how straightforward it’s to placed on, the way it matches and feels, and the vary of movement doable whereas sporting it. The vest’s builders plan to make use of that suggestions to enhance design of the garment, which might present radiation safety for astronauts on Artemis missions to the Moon.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/analysis/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7803
– Air, water, crops: XROOTS used hydroponic (water-based) and aeroponic (air-based) methods to develop crops with out soil or different development media. Researchers collected video and nonetheless pictures to judge development chambers by means of the flowers cycle from seed germination by means of maturity. The plant chambers are returning to Earth for extra evaluation. Related methods might be used to supply crops for future area missions and to boost cultivation and meals safety for the advantage of folks on Earth.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/analysis/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=8088
– Bioprospecting in area: Bioprospecting is the method of figuring out crops and animals that will include substances with potential to be used as medicine, biochemicals, and extra. Earlier research discovered that area could cause genetic and physiological adjustments that might lead to microbes yielding such supplies. Rhodium Microgravity Bioprospecting-1 studied a method to seek for these microbes. The science chambers and temperature logger from the investigation are returning to Earth for additional examination.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/analysis/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=8806
Associated article:
Science-Packed Dragon Cargo Craft Undocks from Station
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2023/01/science-packed-dragon-cargo-craft.html
Associated hyperlinks:
Area Station Analysis and Expertise: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/analysis/overview.html
Worldwide Area Station (ISS): https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/predominant/index.html
Picture (talked about), Animation (talked about), Textual content, Credit: NASA/Mark Garcia.
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