Three NASA astronauts have completed their mission and returned to Earth after a 141-day at the International Space Station.
NASA astronauts conducted missions involving biological, physical, and molecular science to harness new information and discover new technologies. The ISS became an experimental haven for testing "Veggie plant growth," with lettuce grown for consumption for astronauts. The Veggie plant growth experimental is a fundamental part of NASA's maturing technology initiative as it seeks to find a sustainable food supplement for NASA astronauts during their missions to Mars, PR Newswire reported.
Flight engineers from the Russian Federal Space Agency Oleg Kononenko and Kimiya Yui from Japan's Aerospace Exploration Agency.
After a number of landings proved to be unsuccessful, Ellon Musk, Space X CEO confirmed that it preparing for another launch on the Falcon 9., according a tweet from the Tesla boss' account.
The Falcon 9 will launch again on Dec. 19 and it is the first time Space X will launch a rocket in six months. The last rocket was carrying shipments to the International Space Station before exploding. According to Space X, the next launch will ensure that the Falcon 9 can be recovered after launch.
Apart from the ISS supplies, the Space X will deliver 11 satellites for Orbocomm, a N.J.-based teleceom, into lower Earth. It will also be the first time Falcon 9 will be landing on earth.
"Falcon 9 experienced a problem shortly before the first stage shutdown, the Daily Mail reported. "There was an overpressure event in the upper stage liquid oxygen tank."
