Bringing the latest in satellite technology across the globe.
Catching Elephant is a theme by Andy Taylor
NASA reveals SpaceX Dragon’s launch date to resupply Space Station
For the third time around, Space Exploration Technologies Corporation has been chosen by NASA to launch the next commercial cargo resupply mission which will take place on the 1st of March. SpaceX will be using its Dragon capsule to carry out the mission.
The spacecraft is expected to arrive at the Space Station on March 2, where it will proceed on providing 1,200 pounds of payload, including supplies for astronauts, equipment and scientific experiments. Among the experiments in the mission are numerous payloads from commercial space company Nanorack. This includes various payloads from high schools and self-funded projects.
On March 25, the Dragon spacecraft will return to Earth, carrying with it a payload of 2,300 pounds worth of equipment and experiment samples from the Space Station.
SpaceX has additionally signed contracts with the U.S. Air Force for two launch missions in 2014 and 2015, and a contract with Spacecom to launch their AMOS-6 satellite in 2015.
Recommended additional reading:
Intelsat buys ride on new SpaceX heavy-lift rocket
Intelsat Global Holdings S.A. will buy a ride for a future communications satellite on Space Exploration Technologies’ planned heavy-lift rocket, the companies said on Tuesday.
The contract is the first for a Falcon Heavy rocket, which is being designed to carry more than twice as much as the Boeing-built Delta 4 Heavy launcher, which is currently the biggest rocket in the U.S. fleet.
Terms of the contract were not disclosed, but Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, has said it expects to sell Falcon Heavy flights to commercial customers for about $100 million.
