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SpaceX successfully launches resupply mission to space; arrives at ISS Saturday

By Irene Sans, WFTV.com
By Irene Sans, WFTV.com
SpaceX successfully launches its cargo resupply mission to space. It is scheduled to arrive Saturday to the International Space Station.
SpaceX also recovered its Falcon 9 rocket, as it landed perfectly on landing zone 1 in Cape Canaveral.
Pre-launch story
Weather is becoming more favorable to Thursday's cargo mission set to launch at 6:01 p.m. It will be an instantaneous window, meaning that if it doesn't go at 6:01 p.m. it will have to be postponed again.
The cargo is scheduled to arrive at the International Space Station on Saturday July 27. 
We will stream the launch live on WFTV.com and on Channel 9. 
Original story:
SpaceX postponed its launch Wednesday due to bad weather conditions. The new instantaneous window opens Thursday at 6:01 p.m. This would make SpaceX’s 18th Commercial Resupply Services mission, or CRS-18.
The Dragon capsule will carry cargo to the International Space Station on Friday, July 26.
This same Dragon capsule already took supplies to the ISS in April 2015 and December 2017, CRS-6 and CRS-13, respectively.
Falcon 9’s first stage will attempt to return to Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station eight minutes after liftoff.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — WHAT’S IN THE CARGO MISSION?

This mission will carry about 5,000 pounds of supplies and payloads, including over 250 scientific and research projects.
Also on the payload, international docking adaptor number 3. This will allow two vehicles to dock at the same time, critical for future crewed space missions, and possibly even private astronauts. 
A 3D bioprinter from TechShot and NScrypt is inside the capsule too.  Zero gravity allows cell to be printed without collapsing. TechShot hopes to work with the tissue so that t can grow until it can be brought back to Earth intact and could be used for medical application.
Under the current contract with NASA, SpaceX has 20 resupply missions to the ISS. The contract was extended in January 2016, extending SpaceX’s resupply missions through 2024.
After Dragon’s four-week stay at the ISS, it will return to Earth with over 3,000 pounds of cargo, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Baja, California.
HOW’S THE WEATHER FOR THE LAUNCH?
As of noon Wednesday, there is a 30 percent chance of good weather for the launch. Thick clouds and storms are expected to be in the vicinity during the afternoon.
If the launch needs to be postponed, another window opens Thursday at 6:01 p.m.
Melonie Holt will be live starting at 4 p.m. on Eyewitness News from Cape Canaveral, monitoring the latest updates for tonight’s launch.
Tom Terry is closely monitoring the weather conditions and will be tracking storms live on Channel 9.

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