NASA and SpaceX have set a target launch time of 7:16 p.m. EDT Tuesday, May 12, for the next mission to deliver supplies and experiments to the International Space Station. The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will lift off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, carrying about 6,500 pounds of cargo. This mission marks the 34th commercial resupply flight for NASA under its partnership with SpaceX.
The Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to dock autonomously at 9:50 a.m. Thursday, May 14, to the forward port of the station’s Harmony module. The launch and arrival will be covered live on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and the agency’s YouTube channel. Viewers can access the broadcast through various online platforms, including social media.
The cargo includes science experiments, supplies, and equipment for the space station crew. Notable payloads include a project testing how Earth-based simulators replicate microgravity, a bone scaffold made from wood that could lead to new osteoporosis treatments, and equipment to study how red blood cells and the spleen adapt in space. These experiments aim to support future astronaut health and mission planning.
The Dragon will also carry an instrument to monitor charged particles around Earth, which could improve understanding of planetary formation and help protect satellites and power grids. Another instrument will measure sunlight reflected by Earth and the Moon with high precision, contributing to climate and planetary science research. The spacecraft is expected to remain docked until its return to Earth later this month.