The International Space Station accepted another SpaceX shipment containing the first 3-D printer ever launched into orbit. <\/p>\n
The SpaceX cargo ship, Dragon, has arrived at the space station two days after blasting off from Cape Canaveral, Florida. <\/p>\n
German astronaut Alexander Gerst used a robot arm to grab the capsule. <\/p>\n
The Dragon is delivering more than 5,000lbs of supplies, with the 3-D printer - an experimental model taking top billing among the payload. <\/p>\n
Also on board are mice and flies for biological research, fresh spacesuit batteries so Nasa can resume routine spacewalks, and a 30 million dollar (18 million) instrument to measure ocean wind. <\/p>\n
Nasa is paying California-based company SpaceX to stock the station. Last week, the firm won the right to transport astronauts, although that is still a few years off. <\/p>\n
The Dragon will remain at the orbiting outpost for about a month, where it will be filled with experimental materials and data for return to Earth. <\/p>\n
The Dragon is the only unmanned cargo capsule capable of returning items, and this mission marks its fifth visit to the space station. <\/p>\n
Another spacecraft is due to arrive in another couple days. <\/p>\n
Russia is poised to launch a Soyuz spacecraft from Kazakhstan on Thursday with a three-person crew. That will bring the number of astronauts at the space station to the usual six. <\/p>\n
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Space Station gets its own 3D printer in Dragon delivery<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The International Space Station accepted another SpaceX shipment containing the first 3-D printer ever launched into orbit. The SpaceX cargo ship, Dragon, has arrived at the space station two days after blasting off from Cape Canaveral, Florida. German astronaut Alexander Gerst used a robot arm to grab the capsule. Continue reading