SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket is carrying the Dragon capsule to deliver cargo to the International Space Station and will arrive at the ISS on dec. 21.
This is the fifth resupply mission by SpaceX for NASA, bringing food and supplies, including new science experiments and technology research, to the crew aboard the ISS.
The payload includes the Cloud-Aerosol Transport System, or CATS, a laser instrument designed to measure clouds and the location and distribution of pollution, dust, smoke and other particles in the atmosphere.
The biggest potential development with this launch is a possible successful landing of the first stage onto a barge to enable reuse of the first stage. It is possible that the tug named “DENISE A BOUCHARD”, registered with IMO number N/A and MMSI 367611060 is what will be pushing the barge that will be used for the Spacex landing [information from Keith Pickering]
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