The SpaceX Dragon capsule splashed down this afternoon , return over 3,500 pounds of cargo back to Earth from the International Space Station . By completing its 3rd freighter mission , the Dragon bring the gift of over 1,600 pounds of scientific samples and ironware await detailed depth psychology .
Splashdown in the Pacific Ocean . Image quotation : SpaceX
Launched on April 18th with the Falcon 9 skyrocket , the Dragon capsule add 4,969 pounds of cargo up to the International Space Station . Between launching and splashdown , the capsule has been away for 29 twenty-four hours , 23 time of day and 40 minutes , the farsighted Dragon mission yet .

https://gizmodo.com/second-times-a-charm-falcon-9-launches-after-a-brief-d-1564783493
Along with the common load of fresh supply and fresh hardware , two pieces of cargo from the resupply mission needed to be plucked from the Dragon using the blank place ’s machinelike assistant , Dextre . Dextre discharge a high - definition photographic camera retinue and an optical laster communications pole . The equipment pair is being used to capture a high - definition footage from the space station , then stream it back toground aerial on Earthto give all of us trapped planet - sidea glimpse of the arresting view .
https://gizmodo.com/keeping-in-touch-with-our-space-explorers-1558539151

https://gizmodo.com/iss-still-streaming-hd-still-gorgeous-1572981089
Dragon dangle from the International Space Station ’s automatic arm . effigy credit : NASA
The Dragon was unbolted and haul off from the space post by the mammoth robotic weapon system before being released and sent home this morning . Everything went exactly as design , spatter down off the coast of Baja this good afternoon to complete the third of 12 resupply military mission SpaceX has sign on to perform for NASA .

The Dragon and its load , safely recall from the Pacific and aboard a ship to head home . Image deferred payment : NASA
The Dragon carry a dense encumbrance of planned scientific sampling await full analysis , but also some detritus from the consequences of having citizenry living in space : a spacesuit needing repairs , andwater from the malfunction that tried to drown an cosmonaut last summer . In amount , the robotic load merchant ship is returning 3,563 Ezra Loomis Pound of material to Earth in its pressurized hold . demote down by category , that ’s just over 1,600 pounds of scientific Leslie Townes Hope and aspiration in the form of sample and enquiry hardware , just under 1,200 British pound sterling of work party and fomite supplies , and 627 Egyptian pound of spacewalk cock .
https://gizmodo.com/heres-what-its-like-to-almost-drown-in-space-1178817340

While a flock of scientific discipline can be conducted aboard the outer space station , some of the samples involve to revert to Earth for full analysis . This shipment include drug - resistant bacteria that will be compared to its planetary full cousin , industrial plant punctuate out by growing in microgravity ,
The MicroRNA Expression Profiles in Cultured Human Fibroblasts in Space ( Micro-7 ) field is looking at human fibroblast . Considering that these cadre make up most of the human body , understanding how microgravity touch DNA damage and fixture in fibroblasts will help in predicting the impact of spaceflight on organs , tissue paper , and the eternal rest of the human physical structure .
The Antibiotic Effectiveness in Space ( AES-1 ) investigation compares E. coli here at home and in orbit after a previous experiment discovered that bacteria can grow in space even when doused in antibiotic compactness that would usually asphyxiate them . With a bit of luck , this experiment will shed some illumination on why antibiotic drug have decreased potency in spaceflight , and maybe even help understand how to combat antibiotic resistance here on Earth .

Astronaut Rick Mastracchio pokes at bacterium for the AES-1 experiment during Expedition 38 . Image credit : NASA
bond to the bacterial root , on the outgoing trip-up Dragon had deliver computer hardware for the Biological Research in Canisters ( BRIC ) space place facility : BRIC-18 - 1 and BRIC-18 - 2.BRIC-18 - 1is growing antibiotic - resistant strains of Bacillus subtilis , feel in soil , and Staphylococcus epidermidis , line up on the skin , on the station . They ’ll be compare to tellurian dominance samples to see if spaceflight touch off any mutations .
BRIC-18 - 2leaves the bacterial root , produce seedling in space to see how quad messes with them . Preserved seedlings made the return journeying so researchers can jab at them to mold the impact of gravity , radiotherapy , vibe and special exchange of gases on their increase .

While it ’s constitute the Advanced Plant Experiments-02 - 2 ( APEX-02 - 2 ) , the next cogitation on the list does not mean Dragon was carry two batches of seedlings . APEX-02 - 2 used beer maker ’s yeast , genus Saccharomyces cerevisiae , to check out how the cells accommodate to the infinite environment during their sentence in microgravity . If research worker can beleaguer out precisely which mechanism are regularize by the cistron that are impacted by increase in microgravity for this simple organism , those thought might help interpret the molecular response of more complicated cellular telephone in the same environment .
The next set of samples carry on to look at alteration in gene analytic thinking , but get more straight to the shock of spacefaring on humans . TheT - Cell Activation in Aging investigation(which lacks a not - so - catchy acronym ) is trying to distinguish the defect in tetraiodothyronine - cell energizing in microgravity , which may have implication for combat the decline of metric ton - cell and the immune organization during the age physical process .
Astronaut Aki Hoshide allows ENERGY to measure his O uptake during Expedition 33 . Image cite : NASA

Dragon also carries samples from a pair of experiments more directly related to the wellness of crew participating in recollective - continuance spaceflight . The Cardiovascular Health Consequences of Long - Duration Space Flight ( Vascular ) experimentation looks at the encroachment of recollective - continuance spacefaring on astronaut ’s blood vas while the Astronaut ’s Energy Requirements for Long - Term Space Flight ( Energy ) experimentation pass over changes in the astronauts ’ vim balance . ( … and no , none of the experiment demand right away radiate astronaut - brains with gamy - speed particles . We already know that ’s a bad approximation . )
https://gizmodo.com/impact-of-cosmic-rays-on-cognitive-health-1570175749
Mission patch . figure credit : SpaceX

The Dragon is the only substantial freighter for wreak cargo back to Earth . TheSoyuz has special space , with most of its book dedicated to bringing astronauts home . The other resupply freighters by Russia , Japan , the European Space Agency , and Orbital Science Corporation are all only capable of polish off trash , burning up in a destructive reentry after completing their delivery missions .
https://gizmodo.com/russian-soyuz-tma-spacecraft-1557641587
https://gizmodo.com/htv-4-atmospheric-re-entry-1544775616

A boat will transport the Dragon and its cargo to a embrasure near Los Angeles . Some of the freight , peculiarly the freezer of research sample , will be peeled out and delivered to NASA within 48 hours . The rest of the craft will be returned to SpaceX ’s test adroitness in McGregor , Texas .
take more on theNASA web site . This follows upa successful Soyuz mission returning astronauts from Expedition 39 safely homeearlier this week .
https://gizmodo.com/six-months-later-expedition-39-safely-returns-to-earth-1576132644

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