14 DAY TRIAL // Officials with the American space agency and Hawthorne, California-based Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) have agreed to set the launch date for the company's next commercial resupply flight to the International Space Station for next Sunday.
The flight, designated CRS-3, will be carried out by a SpaceX Dragon unmanned cargo spacecraft, which will be boosted into low-Earth orbit by a SpaceX Falcon 9 medium-lift delivery system. Launch will occur from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
The launch opportunity NASA and SpaceX want to take advantage of for this launch opens up on March 16, at around 4:41 am EDT (2041 GMT). If the mission takes off successfully, then the Dragon spacecraft should reach the vicinity of the ISS on Tuesday, March 18. The capsule would then be grappled via the Canadarm-2 robotic arm at around 7 am EDT (1100 GMT).
CRS-3 is the third in a series of 12 resupply missions that SpaceX has to fly for NASA under a Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) contract between the two organizations.
According to the NASA flight manifest, this Dragon will carry around 2,270 kilograms (5,000 pounds) of cargo, ranging from scientific experiments and space parts to supplies such as water and fuel, and personal items for the Expedition 38/39 crew. Upon its return, the capsule will deliver 1,590 kilograms (3,500 pounds) of samples, equipment, and experiments.