SpaceX Cargo Dragon successfully docks to the International Space Station

As the International Space Station traveled approximately 260 miles over Western Australia, a EspaceX The Dragon cargo spacecraft autonomously docked at the forward-facing port of the Orbiting Lab’s Harmony Module at 10:30 a.m. EDT on Monday, August 30. Flight engineers Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur of Nasa supervised operations.

SpaceX’s 23rd contracted cargo resupply mission with NASA to the International Space Station delivered more than 4,800 books of science, research, crew supplies and vehicle equipment to the orbital laboratory and its crew. This is the third mission under SpaceX Commercial Resupply Services-2’s contract with NASA. The launch was scheduled for Saturday, August 28 at 3:37 a.m. EDT, but was canceled due to weather conditions. Instead, it launched on Sunday, August 29 at 3:14 a.m. EDT.

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket will send the company’s Dragon spacecraft, filled with more than 4,800 research books, crew supplies, and equipment to the space station to support Expeditions 65 and 66.

Equipment

To throw:

• Oxygen Generation System (OGS) Rack Relocation Kit – Essential hardware to support the exchange of the OGS rack and the ESA life support rack between node 3 and the US lab to enable the creation of the integrated air chain of the environmental control system and of life support (ECLSS) in the American laboratory.
• Purge Pump and Separator Assembly (PPSA) Hardware – Hardware to increase the power supply capacity inside rack # 2 of the water collection system, as well as the wiring to allow use between the next PPSA and the Ku-band power supply for conversion to the bottom of the power.
• Brine processor assembly (BPA) Filter assembly – Newly developed hardware to support continuous in-orbit BPA operations using custom filters with selective adsorbent material.
• Hydrogen sensor – Critical ECLSS hardware that monitors the presence of excess hydrogen in the generated oxygen, which helps inform NASA of issues with the cell stack in the oxygen generation system.
• Relative humidity of the CO2 sample container – Improved Shuttle Age Instant Sample Container technology that has been modified to support critical exploration development goals with demonstrations of Thermal Amine, 4 Bed CO2 and Mini CO2 technology.
• Rodent research habitats and transporters – Rodents and support material required for the rodent-specific research mission to be carried out during the upcoming increment.

To recover:

• Water separator – Temperature humidity and control hardware that supports in-orbit systems to maintain appropriate temperature and humidity levels on board the space station that returns to the ground for disassembly, testing, evaluation and refurbishment for a future flight.
• Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) Distillation Assembly – Critical orbital replacement unit of the ECLSS used for the distillation, processing and future use of urine for disassembly, testing, evaluation and refurbishment to meet future demands for parts of spare parts and exploration development requirements.
• Avionics Air Assembly Fan (AAA) – Critical spare parts for high speed fans previously installed in the EXPRESS 1 rack that provide cooling to support continuous orbit operations returning to the ground for disassembly, testing and evaluation.
• Separator Plumbing Kit (SPA) – Supporting the urine processing assembly, this equipment supports the recovery and return of water and purge gases from water flows. This unit will be returned and refurbished to support future UPA in-orbit request.
• International Space Station Deployment Solar Array (IROSA) Installation Hardware – Critical connector caps and plugs that were required for spacewalks, now returned for storage and use on future upgraded solar panel installations.
• Nitrogen Oxygen Charging System (NORS) Refill Tank Assembly – High pressure gas tank returning to the ground to provide oxygen to support critical spacewalks by 2022.