Miami, US, Nov 9 (EFE).- NASA and aerospace company SpaceX launched the 29th resupply services mission to the orbiting International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday.
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company’s Dragon spacecraft onboard on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, US, 25 August 2023. EFE-EPA FILE/CRISTOBAL HERRERA-ULASHKEVICH
SpaceX’s unmanned CRS-29 Dragon spacecraft launched atop the company’s Falcon 9 rocket at 8:28 pm from Launch Complex 39A of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The cargo flight is carrying about 6,500 pounds of critical science, hardware, and crew supplies.
The spacecraft “will carry a unique bit of cargo—500 grams of heirloom seeds from the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma,” NASA said on social media platform X before the launch.
“After the seeds return to Earth, local students will plant them,” it added.
The seeds are varieties of squash, leafy greens, peas, and corn, according to NASA.
This is a joint experiment between Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (CNO) and NASA’s Science Activation Program, Native Earth | Native Sky at Oklahoma State University.
“The seeds’ journey to space and the students’ experiences will be documented in a NENS curriculum piece,” NASA said on its website last week.
The mission also includes the ILLUMA-T, which will significantly enhance data transmission capabilities.
“Once installed on the station’s exterior, ILLUMA-T aims to test high data rate laser communications from the space station to Earth. The system uses invisible infrared light to send and receive information at higher data rates than traditional radio frequency systems,” NASA said. EFE
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