Posted on 08/27/2016 7:18:42 AM PDT by BenLurkin
A SpaceX commercial Dragon cargo ship returned to Earth today, Friday, Aug. 26, 2016, by splashing down safely in the Pacific Ocean – thus concluding more than a month long stay at the International Space Station (ISS). The vessel was jam packed with some 1.5 tons of NASA cargo and critical science samples for eagerly waiting researchers.
The parachute assisted splashdown of the Dragon CRS-9 cargo freighter took place at 11:47 a.m. EDT today in the Pacific Ocean – located some 326 miles (520 kilometers) southwest of Baja California.
Dragon departed after spending more than five weeks berthed at the ISS.
It was loaded with more than 3,000 pounds of NASA cargo and critical research samples and technology demonstration samples accumulated by the rotating six person crews of astronauts and cosmonauts living and working aboard the orbiting research laboratory.
This station based research will contribute towards NASA’s strategic plans to send astronauts on a ‘Journey to Mars’ by the 2030s.
It arrived at the station on July 20 ferrying over 2.5 tons of priceless research equipment, gear, spare parts and supplies, food, water and clothing for the station’s resident astronauts and cosmonauts as well as the first of two international docking adapters (IDAs) in its unpressurized cargo hold known as the “trunk.”
(Excerpt) Read more at universetoday.com ...
Thank you! Good news.....except that it is Dem Crony Capitalist Elon Musk who is raking in all that money....after being subsidized by the taxpayers.
The system is not perfect, but it’s still cheaper than NASA or the Air Force.
WHERE’s the poop? They calling it ‘samples’ these days? ;-)
I recently read Elon Musk biography. He’s an intense, driven, take no prisoner, focused, with seemingly impossible dreams with a will of steel who won’t be denied.
Like Trump, he will play whatever games he needs to play with politicians to help him succeed.
He’s a lot like Steve Jobs only dreams even bigger and is a firm believer of meritocracy and attracts the best and brightest and works himself and them to the bone.
He’s a force to be reckoned with and I would not bet against him.
Oh, I’m not betting against him. I just get aggravated when the ‘Crony’ part of Capitalism gets a rich guy a boatload of taxpayer monies. He donated big to Obama.
And he’ll donate to Trump if he gets in.
And by the way he wasn’t born rich, he worked hi ass off. Also it’s not about the money for him. He’s ultimate goal is to establish a human colony on Mars. That’s the ultimate purpose of SpaceX.
Check out his biography, it’s a great read about a fascinating guy, a force of nature.
https://www.amazon.com/Elon-Musk-SpaceX-Fantastic-Future/dp/0062301233
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