The Polar unit, built by UABs EITD team is visible in images shared by NASA. Photo via UAB School of Engineerings Facebook page

The SpaceXs Crew Dragon Endeavour made its historic splash in the Gulf of Mexico near Pensacola on Sunday, August 2. Why is UABs Engineering and Innovative Technology Department (EITD) so excited? Find out!

The rocket didnt just carry astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley from the International Space Station back home to Earth. It also hauled science experiments and other cargo.

This cargo included two rapid-freeze devices, the Polar unit and the Glacier unit, designed and built by engineers at UABs Engineering and Innovative Technology Department. The designs were part of a $3.6M contract with with NASA.

When freezing biological samples as part of a scientific experiment, the most important thing is to freeze the samples as quickly as possible. With UABs devices, astronauts were able to do just that during their two-month mission that began on May 30, 2020.

Any time a rocket manages to blast in and out of orbit, its rather amazing, but there are several more reasons this particular mission is one of interest:

Interesting facts about the launch:

Now that the launch is complete, the fun continues for the EITD team at UAB as they refurbish the units for use in future missions.

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SpaceX splashes down in the Gulf with UAB devices on board - Bham Now