US - Sunday's launch was the 50th time a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft has visited the International Space Station; the first time was in May 2012 for a resupply demonstration.
SpaceX on Sunday launched a Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-33) mission to the International Space Station from Cape Canaveral in Florida, the Dragon spacecraft's 50th time. Following stage separation, the first stage landed on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship, stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. According to SpaceX officials, the Dragon spacecraft is expected to dock with the ISS on Monday autonomously after an approximate 28-hour flight. The CRS-33 will then deliver 5,000 lbs (2268 kg) of food, supplies, and experiments to astronauts onboard the International Space Station—but according to SpaceX officials, this mission goes beyond being just a resupply mission. “This research team is testing out the hypothesis that blocking a certain protein in the body that is known to promote bone loss or bone health changes may actually help reduce the overall bone loss that astronauts experience in space,” said Heidi Parris, associate program scientist for the ISS Program. (Euronews)
