SpaceX will launch its 25th cargo mission to the International Space Station for NASA on July 14th, bringing food and supplies to the crew.

Beyond the external cargo, CRS-25 is prepared to deliver a handful of scientific investigations all of which will be tested in a controlled-microgravity environment within the ISS. The Dragon capsule, which will take off from Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard Space X’s Falcon 9 rocket, will carry “studies of the immune system, Earth’s oceans, soil, communities and cell-free biomarkers, along with mapping the composition of Earth’s dust and testing an alternative to concrete.”

One study, performed by the University of California, San Francisco and sponsored by the ISS National Lab, will study the effects of microgravity on immune function to determine the mechanisms behind immune system aging. The immunosenescence investigation will explore why microgravity causes changes in human immune cells that result in quicker aging, and see if there is a potential to reverse those effects.

The Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT), developed by NASA’s JPL in Pasadena, will measure the mineral composition of dust in Earth’s arid regions using NASA imaging spectroscopy technology, creating a lucid map that could significantly improve our understanding of how dust affects the human population, as well as Earth’s climate.

Genes in space, an annual research competition for students in grades 7-12, challenges students to design DNA experiments to be conducted aboard the ISS. The program has launched eight investigations so far, and this time around, 17-year-old Selin Kocalar won the okay-for-launch when she proposed to pilot a new technique for detecting waterborne pathogens. Genes in Space-9, also sponsored by the ISS National Lab, will be performed by current crew members of the ISS.

Developed at the MIT, BeaverCube, one of the five CubeStats aboard the mission, will launch to the space station for deployment into low-Earth orbit. The small satellite has multiple cameras and will take color images of Earth’s oceans, as well as collect thermal images of cloud tops and the ocean’s surface to help scientists better understand Earth’s climate and weather systems.

Another one of the CubeStats aboard CRS-25, CapSat-1 was developed by a group of three 7th-grade students from the Weiss School in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. The experiment, which began as a novice science fair project, will demonstrate the use of a capacitor-based electrical power system, as opposed to lithium-ion polymer batteries.

DynaMoS, sponsored by NASA’s Division of Biological and Physical Sciences, will examine the effects of microgravity on metabolic interactions in communities of soil microbes. On Earth, complex communities of microorganisms carry out key functions in soil that keep our planet alive. By studying how the soil interacts when faced with conditions in space, like microgravity and radiation, scientists will be able to better understand their functions, as well as how to potentially influence the agricultural production above Earth.

A team from Stanford University will look at how microgravity affects the process of creating a concrete alternative made with organic, on-site materials, such as lunar or Martian dust. Biopolymer Research for In-Situ Capabilities is thinking ahead so that astronauts can be prepared for building sustainable habitats on the moon and Mars.

“Transporting large amounts of conventional construction materials from Earth is logistically and financially infeasible,” said team member Laywood Fayne. The experiment will attempt to make six bricks in microgravity so that scientists can compare the process of brick-building at 1 g and less than 1 g.

The launch was originally scheduled for June 10, but was delayed due to technicians needing to replace part of Dragon’s capsule when they noticed elevated vapor levels of hydrazine.

Written by Brynn Shaffer for Supercluster

Cargo Dragon v2

This is the second generation of SpaceX's Dragon capsule.

Dragon 2 comes in two different types, each based on the same overall design. One variant is built to carry crew, called Crew Dragon. The other version is for cargo-only missions to the ISS.

Like Crew Dragon, Dragon 2 cargo capsules can be used up to five times, can autonomously dock and undock themselves from the ISS, and can bring thousands of kilograms of science and equipment safely back to Earth.

The capsules splashdown off the coast of Florida near the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and the Kennedy Space Center to speed up recovery and refurbishment time between flights.

Photo: CRS-22 Dragon. Credit: John Kraus/Supercluster

Falcon 9 is a reusable, two-stage rocket designed and manufactured by SpaceX for the reliable and safe transport of people and payloads into Earth orbit and beyond.

Falcon 9 is the world’s first orbital-class reusable rocket.

Stats

Total launches: 395

Total landings: 351

Total reflights: 326

The Falcon 9 has launched 52 humans into orbit since May 2020

Specs

Height: 70 m / 229.6 ft

Diameter: 3.7 m / 12 ft

Mass: 549,054 kg / 1,207,920 lb

Payload to Low Earth Orbit (LEO): 22,800 kg / 50,265 lb

Payload to Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO): 8,300 kg / 18,300 lb

Payload to Mars: 4,020 kg / 8,860 lb

On January 24, 2021, Falcon 9 launched the first ride-share mission to Sun Synchronous Orbit. It was delivering a record-setting 143 satellites to space. And while this was an important mission for SpaceX in itself, it was also the moment Falcon 9 overtook United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V for the total number of consecutive successful launches.

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 had become America’s workhorse rocket, launching 31 times in 2021. It has already beaten that record this year, launching almost an average of once a week. While most of the launches deliver Starlink satellites to orbit, the company is still launching the most commercial payloads to orbit, too.

Falcon 9 is a medium-lift launch vehicle, with the capability to launch over 22.8 metric tonnes to low earth orbit. Unlike any other rocket, its first stage lands back on Earth after separating from its second stage. In part, this allows SpaceX to offer the cheapest option for most customers with payloads that need to reach orbit.

Under its ride-share program, a kilogram can be placed in a sun-synchronous orbit for a mere 1.1 million dollars, far cheaper than all other currently operating small satellite launch vehicles.

The reusability and fast booster turnaround times have made Falcon 9 the preferred choice for private companies and government agencies. This has allowed SpaceX to capture a huge portion of the launch market.

Photo courtesy of John Kraus for Supercluster.

Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) is a historic launch site located at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Originally constructed in the late 1960s, LC-39A was designed to support the Apollo program, including the groundbreaking Apollo 11 mission that first landed humans on the Moon in 1969. The pad also played a crucial role in launching Skylab missions and was instrumental during the Space Shuttle era, including the launch of the first Space Shuttle, Columbia, on STS-1 in 1981.

In 2014, SpaceX leased LC-39A from NASA and undertook extensive refurbishments to adapt the pad for its Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets. These upgrades involved significant modifications to the pad's infrastructure to meet the requirements of SpaceX’s rockets. Since then, LC-39A has become a vital launch site for SpaceX, supporting a range of missions including crewed flights under NASA's Commercial Crew Program.

Under SpaceX's management, LC-39A has been the site of several landmark events. It hosted the first Falcon 9 launch from the pad on March 30, 2017, and was the launch site for the historic Falcon Heavy debut on February 6, 2018, which was the most powerful rocket in operation at that time. Additionally, LC-39A was the launch site for the first crewed flight of the Crew Dragon spacecraft on May 30, 2020, marking the first crewed spaceflight from U.S. soil since the end of the Shuttle program.

Today, LC-39A remains a critical asset for SpaceX, supporting both crewed and uncrewed missions. It continues to serve as a launch site for Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets and is expected to play a central role in future missions, including those aimed at lunar exploration and beyond. The pad's rich history and ongoing significance highlight its importance in the broader context of space exploration.

Photo courtesy of Erik Kuna for Supercluster

The Harmony module, also known within NASA as Node-2, was launched to the International Space Station (ISS) in October 2007 on the STS-120 mission of Shuttle Discovery.

Harmony serves as the gateway between the US scientific and living modules and the European Space Agency's Columbus laboratory and Japan's Kibo complex.

The module is equipped with two docking ports for US crew (Dragon and Starliner) and cargo (Dragon) spacecraft and also has one berthing port that can be used for either Northrop Grumman's Cygnus or Japan's HTV cargo ships.

Picture: A cargo Dragon docked to Harmony's zenith, or space-facing docking port. Part of Japan's Kibo complex can been seen to the left of Dragon. Credit: NASA

A Shortfall of Gravitas" (ASOG) is one of SpaceX’s Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ships, designed to recover Falcon 9 rocket boosters at sea. Operating primarily in the Atlantic Ocean from Port Canaveral, Florida, ASOG joined SpaceX’s fleet in 2021. It plays a crucial role in SpaceX's reusability program, enabling the recovery and refurbishment of rocket boosters for future missions.

The name "A Shortfall of Gravitas" is inspired by science fiction author Iain M. Banks' Culture series, known for its playful and philosophical ship names. ASOG is fully autonomous, capable of sailing to its designated landing area and maintaining position without the need for a tugboat. Equipped with advanced thrusters, it ensures precise positioning even in challenging weather conditions and features a large landing platform for booster recovery.

ASOG is essential for missions requiring high velocities or distant orbits where landing on solid ground is not feasible. By recovering boosters at sea, ASOG helps SpaceX reduce costs and enhance the sustainability of spaceflight.

Photo courtesy to Jenny Hautmann for Supercluster