Nichols Martin
The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft that NASA launched Sunday from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the company's 21st commercial resupply mission is expected to arrive at the International Space Station on Monday around 1:30 p.m. EST.
The updated Dragon flew with over 6.4K pounds of cargo for the station aboard a Falcon 9 rocket and will demonstrate SpaceX's first autonomous docking with the ISS, NASA said Monday.
Dragon features expanded powered locker capacity to house more research samples across the mission's timeline.
The spacecraft contains research samples on microbial meteorites, human heart and brain changes under microgravity, white blood cell count in space and in-space human habitat construction.
Research also includes a Nanoracks-made Bishop Airlock platform designed to facilitate experimental deployments such as those involving CubeSats and other flying payloads.
NASA formally announced the launch in late November.
