SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 6:33 a.m. EDT. The mission, designated CRS-35, is delivering over 6,300 pounds of cargo and scientific equipment to the International Space Station. The first stage booster, B1096, completed its eighth flight by landing at Landing Zone 40 shortly after liftoff.
The Cargo Dragon spacecraft, C211, is carrying two Roll-Out Solar Array wings manufactured by Redwire Space. These are the final pair of four sets designed to increase the power capacity of the ISS, with each unit providing over 20 kW for more than 10 years. NASA plans to utilize similar technology for the Space Reactor 1 Freedom mission scheduled for 2028.
The cargo includes materials for over 40 scientific studies, focusing on biological research and the testing of unconventional glass types. These materials, which may exhibit properties like high refractive indices and heat-resistant contraction, are intended for potential applications in future lunar habitats and rovers.
The Dragon spacecraft is expected to dock with the Harmony module on Thursday morning and will remain attached to the station for approximately one month. Astronauts Anil Menon and Joshua Kutryk are assigned to oversee the arrival process. Meanwhile, a Russian Soyuz rocket has been positioned at the Baikonur Cosmodrome for a separate crewed mission.
