SpaceX launches and lands 50th rocket

On Thursday, March 5, in Cape Canaveral, Fla., SpaceX, a private space company founded by entrepreneur Elon Musk launched a capsule of supplies, named the “Dragon” capsule, to the International Space Station for NASA. The “Falcon” rocket, which deployed the capsule, was launched and landed for its 50th time.

According to a SpaceX press release, the Dragon capsule contains supplies for experiments including Adidas shoe material, Delta Faucet’s test of water droplet formation in micro-gravity conditions, 3D models of heart and intestinal tissue, snippets of grape vines and more than 250 science and research investigations that will occur onboard the ISS. Additionally, the capsule transports fruit and candy for the two Americans and one Russian at the space station.

The Falcon rocket booster returned safely to the Cape Canaveral while the Dragon capsule connected with the International Space Station on Sunday, March 15. Astronauts used the Space Station’s robotic arm to capture the Dragon at 5:05 a.m. EST. It took nearly three hours to firmly secure the cargo ship to the Station.

The Dragon is the first private spacecraft to visit the ISS and was developed by SpaceX.  A SpaceX press release on March 5 reported that the Dragon spacecraft has now made three of the 19 delivery missions that SpaceX promised NASA under their commercial resupply services contract. The two previous missions were in September 2014 and July 2017, according to the company’s website. This is the last trip for the Dragon as SpaceX plans, next, to launch a larger version with space for a manned crew.

According to the SpaceX website, The Dragon is planned to return to Earth on Jan. 6, 2021 and return approximately 1,800 lbs. (816 kg) of equipment and scientific experiments in a splash landing in the Pacific Ocean. SpaceX will launch its next shuttle, the Crew Dragon around that same time. 

Several students commented on the advances. Richard Montgomery sophomore Urbar Kattell, said, “Spacex is doing something very unique. They are allowing for innovation to continue in space exploration, something that stopped during the early 2000s. They are bringing a new wave of support and love for space exploration that hasn’t been in the country for a long time. They are allowing for sci-fi ideas that we thought would never happen to something that can happen in the next decade or two. They are paving the way for the future of humanity outside of earth.”

Richard Montgomery junior Jake Singer was more curious of the motivation for Musk’s ambitions said, “I am curious as to what Musk is doing and his end goal. Is it personal or is he actually just intrigued by going to space?”

Article by J.P. King of Richard Montgomery High School

Graphic by Katherine Hua of Robert Frost Middle School