SPX-15 was scheduled as an "instantaneous launch" which means that if it didn't go off as planned on June 29th at Kennedy Space Center, the NASA Launch would have been delayed until July 1st (no pressure, right?). Well the good news is, the Falcon 9 made it off the pad at exactly 5:42:42 a.m. EDT. The capsule (known as Dragon) then separated from the rocket nine minutes later and is scheduled to dock with the International Space Station (ISS) on July 2nd.
Dragon is delivering almost 3 tons of supplies, equipment, and the following science investigations for the ISS:
- Investigation on cellular biology in microgravity
- ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station (ECOSTRESS), an Earth science instrument studying plants and water availability
- A physical sciences study on soil and sediment to enable U.S. National Laboratory research
Dragon will then return to Earth in about a month, carrying 2 tons of cargo from the ISS. Not only is this mission important because of the cargo going to and from the ISS but it also serves as a great opportunity to test the previously flown upper stage coasting ability. To test this ability, it will orbit four times around the earth until it ultimately splashes down somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean. That's right, no booster landing with this SpaceX rocket launch but this will let Space-X realize the possibility of direct insertion into geostationary orbit.