The 29th cargo flight to the International Space Station is launched by SpaceX.

The 29th cargo flight to the International Space Station is launched by SpaceX.

Benjamin Hughes


Lighting up the night sky, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket streaked into orbit in spectacular fashion Thursday, kicking off a 32-hour rendezvous with the International Space Station to deliver 6,500 pounds of research gear, crew supplies and needed equipment.

According to Dana Weigel, the deputy program manager at the Johnson Space Center, the crew will also have access to fresh produce, cheese and pizza kits, as well as some festive treats like chocolate, pumpkin spice cappuccinos, rice cakes, turkey, duck, quail, seafood, cranberry sauce and mochi. These items will be available on board the space station.

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On November 9, 2023, a Dragon supply ship was launched from the Kennedy Space Center aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket for a 32-hour journey to the International Space Station. William Harwood/CBS News

Takeoff occurred at 8:28 p.m. EDT from the renowned Pad 39 at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, coinciding with the rotation of Earth and the alignment of the seaside launch site with the plane of the space station’s orbit. This is necessary for successful rendezvous missions with objects traveling at speeds exceeding 17,000 mph.

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William Harwood

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Since 1984, Bill Harwood has been extensively reporting on the U.S. space program. He began as the Cape Canaveral bureau chief for United Press International and currently works as a consultant for CBS News. During his career, he has reported on 129 space shuttle missions, all interplanetary flights since Voyager 2’s flyby of Neptune, and numerous commercial and military launches. Harwood is located at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and is also a passionate amateur astronomer. He is also the co-author of “Comm Check: The Final Flight of Shuttle Columbia.”

Source: cbsnews.com