SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Launched for Climate Science Research of NASA

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A SpaceX Dragon resupply spacecraft is on its way to the ISS after launching on Thursday at 8:44 pm EDT. The spacecraft flew from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It was carrying 5,800 pounds of science experiments, crew supplies, and other cargo supplies to the International Space Station. The spacecraft launched on a Falcon 9 rocket from the 39A Launch Pad of Kennedy Space Center.

Moreover, the launch of the Falcon 9 rocket was the 25th commercial resupply service mission for the space agency. The mission was scheduled to independently land at the space station on Saturday, July 16 around 11:20 am EDT. Keep in mind that it will remain at the ISS for at least one month. The coverage of arrival will start on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website at 10 am EDT.

Meanwhile, Dragon is delivering various science experiments to the International Space Station. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California has developed the EMIT (Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation). It utilizes the imaging spectroscopy technology of NASA to calculate the mineral structure of dust in arid regions of the Earth.

Mineral Dust Contains Dark Minerals to Absorb Sunlight

It blows the mineral dust into the air to travel considerable distances that affect the climate and weather of the Earth. The dust contains dark minerals to suck up sunlight to warm an area, but light-colored mineral dust can cool it. The blown dust affects air quality, and surface environment including snow melting and microalga condition in the ocean.

The examination will collect images for one year to construct maps of the mineral configuration producing dust on Earth. This type of mapping would enhance the ability to understand the effects of mineral dust on Earth’s human populations. It is important that aging is linked to the changes in the immune response also known as Immunosenescence.

Microgravity Examines Changes in the Human Immune System

Moreover, microgravity motivates alterations in the human immune system. It mirrors this condition but rapidly happens compared to the original aging process on Earth. The International Space Station US National Laboratory sponsored the Immunosenescence investigation. It utilizes tissue chips to study how microgravity enacts immune function during flight.

These tissue chips are small devices containing human cells in a 3D structure. It would enable scientists to examine how these cells respond to drugs, genetic changes, and anxiety. More complex communities of microorganisms on Earth perform major functions in its soil. It includes the cycling of carbon and other nourishments supporting the growth of plants.

Division of Biological and Physical Sciences of NASA

However, NASA’s Division of Biological and Physical Sciences sponsored the dynamics of Microbiomes. It can examine how microgravity performs metabolic behaviors in communities of soil germs and bacteria. This research is dedicated to microbe communities that crumble a natural carbon polymer on the Earth. There is also BeaverCube on a study mission to reach high school students about aerospace science.

It is important that BeaverCube will features one visible and 2 infrared imagers to calculate cloud properties. The study includes ocean surface temperatures and ocean levels to evaluate the climate and weather systems on Earth. The system will also determine an application to use the shape memory mixture technology using an in-orbit regulation mechanism.